I Dream of Jeanie Movie
by fanficBrian
Summary: A Navy Seal in Afghanistan finds a magic bottle and then married bliss with the genie within. Then the Blue Djinn who turned her into a genie kidnaps her and the Seal must return to Afghanistan to rescue the woman he loves.


"I Dream of Jeannie movie (how I would have done it)"

by

fanficBrian

EXT. DREAM WORLD/RUSTIC SCENES - DAY

We see the dream world home of the genies. It is a garden paradise filled with colorful birds and the material culture of the genies has a consistent aesthetic which is colorful and distinctive.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - Thousands of years ago the genies in the dream world grew curious of your world.

The genies look into a large bowl of magic water. The rippling surface of the water serves as a window to the human world. They see rustic men from the distant past living simple lives.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - We made vessels to carry us to your world. Each vessel contains enough of the dream world to sustain us.

Genies craft a bottle and one turns to smoke and enters. The others drop it into the magic bowl of water and it sinks down. We see it pop up to the surface of the ocean in our world and float along.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - But whoever controls our vessel controls us. In the beginning we enjoyed our life with men.

A genie has joined the rustic life shown before and now aids the people by providing bowls full of dates and fruit and magically puts ribbons in a young girl's hair who smiles in delight.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - But then men changed. Most genies went back to the dream world. We did not like what man was becoming.

A man points to a genie and orders him to make a pile of gold coins and the genie obeys. The man shakes his head and demands a larger pile and the genie obeys again but sighs and looks disappointed.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - But one genie liked the change in man, the Blue Djinn.

The Blue Djinn makes a pile of gold coins for his master and laughs as his master exults in his new wealth. Then the Djinn makes a crossbow. His master does not know what it is, he picks it up and accidentally shoots a passerby in the leg. The Djinn laughs at the victim's pain and his master looks approvingly at his new gift.

EXT. MASTER'S COURT - NIGHT

The Djinn's master has grown wealthy and powerful and sits at his own court. Jeannie entertains the court by telling the story of the Lion and the Mouse through dance.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - But one day his master invited Scheherazade, the story teller, to entertain him. The Blue Djinn gained a new master that day. She was everything he was not, beautiful, kind and free.

Jeannie continues her dance under the now obsessive gaze of the Djinn. But she does not notice.

The Djinn stares at his master as he thinks of a plan.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - So he searched his mind for a way to kill his master and be free, and have the things he wants.

EMPTY COURT

The Djinn and his master sit alone at court. The Djinn makes a tall pile of coins appear. The master is pleased. The Djinn makes the pile larger and larger. The master nods and applauds. Now the Djinn makes the pile so high that it collapses and smothers his master. He grabs his bottle from his master's dead hand which stretches out from beneath the pile of gold coins.

INT. CAVE OF THE BLUE DJINN - DAY

The cave is within a mountain with a subtle genie bottle shape. Within the mountain the interior of the cave is perfectly genie bottle shaped and the walls are opaline and iridescent, magically lighting the room. The floor has a raised platform and on that is an ultra marine canopy and underneath it pillows and rugs.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - The Blue Djinn made a court for himself underneath a mountain and stole creatures from other worlds to serve him.

The Djinn reaches out his hand and causes a magical lion to appear from another world. It looks similar to the Lamassu of ancient Assyrian art. The lion turns around and makes a leap towards him. With his other hand the Djinn creates a blue jewel attached to a collar suspended in air so that the leaping lion unintentionally puts his head through it and now wears the collar and blue jewel. The Djinn smirks and the blue jewel on his necklace glows as does the one on the lion's collar whose eyes turn blue and looks dazed.

INT. CHILDREN'S THEATER - DAY

Jeannie dances the same Lion and Mouse story to a group of children who smile and delight in her story telling.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - When all was ready he brought Scheherazade to him.

Jeannie slowly turns to smoke and disappears. The children look around for her.

INT. CAVE OF THE BLUE DJINN - DAY

Jeannie appears first as smoke and then takes solid form in the cave. She is in mid dance.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - He shared his power with her, he made her a genie.

The Blue Djinn cuts his palm with a knife. Thick blue blood comes out and drips down in a continuous stream but before it reaches the ground it turns into a pillar of blue smoke which moves towards Jeannie and surrounds her, then seems to enter into every pore. For a moment she flashes blue and then it is done, she is a genie.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - But she would not love him for it.

The Djinn grabs one of her hands and pulls her towards him for a kiss and she struggles and then he grabs the other hand and brings her closer and forces a short kiss.

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Jeannie's bottle bobs along the ocean and then washes up on a beach and is picked up by Sinbad the Sailor.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - She found a way to escape. Since they share their power when she is in the vessel life fades from the Djinn. Many times she hid in the vessel and escaped. But always a man found her and the Djinn would regain his life.

Sinbad holds the bottle up and studies it.

GRANDMOTHER (V.O.) - Always the Blue Djinn finds her, always he kills her master.

EXT. AFGHAN HILL TOP - DAY

TONY NELSON, ROGER HEALEY and their twelve year old guide ATIFF lie in a reverse slope position atop a hill overlooking a narrow valley trail. Tony and Roger are in combat gear and Atiff wears colorful local clothing. Behind them are three Afghan horses.

Tony watches a small caravan pass by with a spotting scope. He looks carefully and then passes it over to Roger.

TONY - Take a look Roger. Might just be smugglers, but this trail is definitely being used to cross the border.

Roger looks through the spotting scope.

ROGER - A lot of them. Going to be hard to do a stop and search with just us two.

ATIFF - They are smugglers. They cross the border here to avoid customs. If you stop them you will find nothing and the smugglers will put curses on you.

ROGER - Is that what smugglers do?

ATIFF - Yes. They know many curses.

ROGER - That would explain a lot.

A hawk suddenly lands among them and comes towards Atiff and seems to talk to him. He understands.

ATIFF - I must go. Her baby tried to fly too soon and fell. I have to put him back in the nest.

Atiff goes to his horse and readies to leave.

ROGER - Don't run off kid.

ATIFF - I must help the baby bird.

TONY - Atiff.

Atiff rides off.

TONY - Going after him. Radio if there's trouble.

EXT. RIDING TO NEST - DAY

Tony catches up to Atiff on his horse.

ATIFF - Do not worry Major Nelson, I will be safe.

TONY - Worried about that bird.

Tony spurs his horse on faster and Atiff smiles and spurs his horse on to catch up.

EXT. BIRD NEST IN TREE - DAY

The hawk nest is high up in a tree and the baby bird on the ground underneath.

Tony gently scoops the baby bird into his cap.

TONY - Where's the nest?

ATIFF - There.

He points way, way up to a hard to reach spot.

AT BIRD NEST

Tony has climbed up and reaches out as far as he safely can on the tree branch. He holds his cap out at the edge of the nest and waits for the bird to climb into the nest.

TONY - C'mon.

The baby bird makes it. Just then Tony's feet slip and he drops his cap and is left hanging from the branch. He muscles his way up until he is rests with his arms on top of the branch and pauses a moment to catch his breath.

FROM BELOW

ATIFF - Do not worry, I found your hat!

BRANCH

TONY - My hat.

INT. REMOTE AFGHAN MILITARY OUTPOST - REC ROOM - NIGHT

SERGEANT, AGENT, Roger, and Tony play poker.

ROGER - So you're really CIA?

AGENT - Not at liberty.

ROGER - I'm at liberty. I'm at liberty to see the good Sergeant's fifteen and raise ten.

TONY - Was dealt a bad hand. Fold.

ROGER - That's when you bluff Tony.

At the other end of the rec room are Atiff and a SOLDIER. In the background you hear them play video games, Atiff loudly celebrates winning.

AGENT - Who's the kid?

ROGER - His name is Atiff. Thought the CIA brought him in.

SERGEANT - I thought he worked for the SEALs. He showed up right when you did.

They look around at each other.

AGENT - I'll take care of the kid. I'll find out what his story is.

VIDEO GAME PLAYERS

Atiff is good at the game and rapidly works the controller.

SOLDIER - You said you never played video games before.

ATIFF - I am a fast learner.

Atiff wins again and celebrates with his hands in the air. This exposes an intricately woven bracelet which catches the eye of Agent and means something to him.

POKER GAME

AGENT - He's good at video games.

TONY - Good guide too. Best I've worked with. Going to miss him when we leave tomorrow.

SERGEANT - Since this is your last day you won't mind raising the stakes. Let's play real poker.

Sergeant expertly shuffles the deck and deals the cards.

LATER

Roger pushes some local currency into the pot.

SERGEANT - Get that out of here. Afghan money isn't even worth anything in Afghanistan.

ROGER - Here you go, boring American dollars.

Roger pushes his bet into the pot.

SERGEANT - Three of a kind.

AGENT - Straight, aces low.

He pauses and then reaches for the pot. Roger moves the ace from one end of his hand to the other.

ROGER - Straight, aces high.

SERGEANT - How do you win every hand?

ROGER - Magic.

Roger collects his money.

SERGEANT - You're not even a real SEAL.

ROGER - Transport division. That's real. Let's see how useful SEALs are if they never leave San Diego.

SERGEANT - All talk. You can't talk your way out of this one.

ROGER - Think I'm going to call it a night.

SERGEANT - Let's settle this. Outside.

TONY - Sergeant, at ease. Roger just got lucky.

SERGEANT - You stay out of this.

AGENT - Sergeant, that's lone wolf Nelson you're talking to.

SERGEANT - Major Anthony Nelson? There's something I gotta do.

Sergeant walks around the table towards Tony. Even the video game players have stopped to watch. Tony reluctantly stands up in preparation.

Sergeant reaches Tony and after the briefest moment of uncertainty reaches out his hand.

SERGEANT - It's an honor Major. You saved my buddy's life in Mirabad.

TONY - Mirabad, the time in oh six?

SERGEANT - Oh nine. You saved my buddy Warren and his squad.

ROGER - Who do you think flew your buddy out of Mirabad?

Sergeant stands at attention and salutes Roger.

LATER

In the background the other three exchange pleasantries with the video game players on their way out, but Agent remains at the poker table. Atiff and soldier go back to their video game.

Agent pulls out a cell phone and punches in a number.

AGENT - Ed, remember those people we've been looking for? I think I found one.

Agent looks toward Atiff.

INT. SITUATION ROOM - DAY

Admiral PETERSON strides into the situation room. Staffers man phones and terminals and there are maps and video monitors around the walls. GARY is in charge of the staff.

PETERSON - What's so important?

GARY - We got a hot tip. It's about Daeshi. He's alone, traveling light.

PETERSON - Get team six ready, we're going in.

GARY - That's the problem sir. He's heading for the Istanistan border and will cross it before the team can get to him.

PETERSON - Airstrike. Don't let him cross the border.

GARY - We thought of that. He's staying at a farmhouse one day's drive from the Istanistan border. He's holding the family hostage.

PETERSON - Do we have any operators nearby?

GARY - There's a Navy SEAL who can get there in time. In the area doing recon.

PETERSON - Do it. Write the order.

GARY - We wanted to check with you first. The SEAL is Anthony Nelson. The lone wolf.

PETERSON - You're sure he's close enough?

Gary nods.

PETERSON - I'm guessing he has his sidekick with him.

GARY - Major Healey, transport division. He's there.

PETERSON - Always is. Send the order.

The staffers quickly turn to their terminals and phones and get things moving on this.

GARY - You never told me what you have against Major Nelson.

PETERSON - Good operator. Just not a team player. That's why he never made team six. That's the real reason he's called lone wolf.

INT. REMOTE AFGHAN MILITARY OUTPOST - RADIO ROOM - NIGHT

Tony walks in looking sleepy and has obviously been dragged from bed. RADIO OPERATOR meets him carrying printouts.

TONY - No one gets woken up this early for good news.

RADIO OPERATOR

Mission orders have come in. You're not going home today.

Radio Operator hands printouts to Tony.

RADIO OPERATOR - Intel has spotted Daeshi near the border and you're the closest operator.

TONY - Wake up Roger and tell him to meet me at the weapons locker. Let's aim for leaving base before daybreak. Want to get there while he's still asleep.

EXT. REMOTE AFGHAN MILITARY OUTPOST - DAY

Sunlight creeps over the horizon as Tony, Roger and Agent look over a map set over the hood of a running jeep. Tony and Roger are in uniform with their weapons and gear.

Atiff riding a horse and leading two others comes up to the running jeep. Tony turns to him.

TONY - Guess you're taking your horses back.

Atiff nods.

AGENT - You know, you could ride there instead. Avoiding roads reduces the chance of being spotted.

ROGER - If we cut across through this valley it's a lot shorter than the road.

AGENT - Atiff, can you wait here a minute.

Atiff walks his horses to the entrance of the camp and scans the horizon.

Agent turns to Roger.

AGENT - I'd like to talk to the Major alone.

TONY - It's okay.

Roger walks towards Atiff and makes small talk.

AGENT - You need to take the kid with you. If I have to I'll make a phone call and it will be added to the mission orders.

TONY - Why is this kid so special?

AGENT - Have you ever heard of the nameless ones?

TONY - No.

AGENT - Very few people have. We have reports on them going back to the O.S.S. They are a wandering tribe that crosses the borders in this region at will. They know the land better than anyone and if you try to hold them down they just disappear.

TONY - And you think this kid is one of them?

AGENT - You said he's the best guide you ever had.

TONY - I said that but he's just a kid.

AGENT - Imagine if we had a whole tribe of guides that good. They were the ones who gave us Daeshi's location. This is the first time they've ever contacted us.

TONY - He's been working recon missions. You can't take a kid into combat.

Agent turns towards Atiff.

AGENT - Atiff, come over here.

Atiff jumps off his horse and runs over to the two.

AGENT - How do you feel about doing one more job?

ATIFF - I will go with Major Nelson to catch Daeshi. Do not worry, I am under protection.

AGENT - You heard the kid, he's protected.

Atiff nods enthusiastically.

TONY - Okay he goes. Tell Roger we go on horseback.

Atiff excitedly runs back to Roger.

AGENT - One more thing, make sure he comes back. But the family at the farmhouse, Daeshi is worth collateral damage.

LATER

Tony and Roger strap packs onto a horse while Atiff is far enough away that they can speak privately.

ROGER - The nameless ones, what genius came up with that name.

EXT. AFGHAN FARMHOUSE - DAY

The three of them lie in a reverse slope position along a ridge. They have a sniper rifle with a large optical scope, an M4 carbine with scope, and a powerful spotting scope. Roger uses the spotting scope to examine a one room house at the bottom of the ridge.

ROGER - Lights are off, we got here before they woke up.

TONY - The plan will work.

A light comes on in the house. We look through the spotting scope and a man peers out the window and checks the road.

ROGER - Spoke too soon, he's up.

TONY - Is that him?

ROGER - It's him.

TONY - The plan can still work.

Just then they notice dust being stirred up on the dirt road in the distance. Roger quickly moves the spotting scope to spy the road.

ROGER - The plan isn't going to work. Three men in a pickup, mounted gun in back. This is his ride to the border.

TONY - New plan. Use the sniper rifle to take out the pickup, I take the house. Wait till I'm at the door, I'll make a forced entry when I hear the first gun shot.

ROGER - Got it.

INT. AFGHAN FARMHOUSE - DAY

Four family members are bound and gagged and sit on the floor along the wall. Two worried parents and two terrified boys. Daeshi sits alone at the table while the young GIRL works at the stove. She has been left unbound to attend to him. She brings a pot of tea from the stove and pours it into his cup.

DAESHI - Girl, you made me horrible tea.

GIRL - Because you are a horrible man.

We see Daeshi's face become enraged and his arm wind up and know he is striking the girl but do not see the blow.

EXT. AFGHAN FARMHOUSE - DAY

Tony made it down the ridge unnoticed. He waits at the door with his back to the wall.

ROGER ON THE RIDGE

Roger looks at the speeding pickup truck through his rifle scope. We look through the scope and watch him place the crosshair over the driver.

ROGER - Hope you're in place Tone, because this can't wait any longer.

Roger pulls the trigger and through the scope we see the bullet hit and the driver slump over dead.

Roger looks over his rifle to get a better view.

ROGER - What the ...

The man in the passenger seat has grabbed the steering wheel. He manages to get his foot down on the gas. He struggles but gets the driver's side door open and shoves the dead body out. The truck keeps coming.

INT. AFGHAN FARMHOUSE - DAY

Tony kicks open the door and rushes in gun drawn.

Daeshi is struggling with the girl and grabbing her by the arms to control her when Tony bursts in. Tony aims the gun at Daeshi and sees he is unarmed.

Tony then sweeps his gun around the room scanning for any other threats. Daeshi uses this to grab the girl by the neck and hold her up in front of him.

EXT. AFGHAN FARMHOUSE - DAY

We look through Roger's rifle scope and the new driver swerves left and right. Roger takes shots but they miss.

Finally he connects and the truck slows to a roll and goes off the road. His shot was late, the truck is close now. The machine gunner in back opens up on Roger's location and he has to duck down and pull back to safety. While crawling back he grabs Atiff and drags him along.

ROGER - Get down, get down.

INT. AFGHAN FARMHOUSE - DAY

Daeshi holds the girl up off her feet by the neck in front of him as a shield while Tony points the gun at him.

TONY - Put the girl down.

DAESHI - Put the gun down.

RIFLE SCOPE VIEW

We look through the scope as he tries to get a clean shot at Daeshi's head. He moves the crosshair right and left and Daeshi moves the girl's head to block any shot.

Then the rifle scope view pulls down to Daeshi's feet and the crosshair is placed over one. A shot is fired and we see it hit. Then Tony instantly moves the crosshair over to the other foot and shoots.

We see a repeat of this in profile and Tony's speed and decisiveness is impressive. Daeshi drops the girl in pain and she runs away.

EXT. AFGHAN FARMHOUSE - DAY

Roger and Atiff are still taking cover.

ATIFF - I know what to do!

He grabs Roger's hat and scurries over to a rocky outcropping a short distance away near the ridge line.

Atiff grabs a stick and puts the hat on the end of it. He hold the hat up just above the ridge line as a trick. The machine gunner sprays the rocky outcropping with bullets.

Roger quickly moves up to the top of the ridge and fires a shot on one knee. The shooting stops and we know Roger hit the target. He turns to Atiff in concern.

ROGER - Don't ever do that again.

LATER

Tony and Roger sit and drink tea. Agent is here with a soldier for escort and Daeshi sits in the back seat of the jeep they arrived in. He is handcuffed and his feet are clumsily bandaged.

Agent talks to the family and writes down what they say on a clipboard. Atiff talks to the daughter.

Atiff walks over to Tony and Roger.

ROGER - You seem to have made a new friend.

ATIFF - She is nice.

ROGER - Thank her for the tea, it's wonderful.

TONY - Time to head back. Get the horses ready.

LATER

AGENT - I wish we brought more than one jeep. If you want you can try and squeeze into the back with the prisoner.

TONY - Horses will be just fine.

AGENT - Good work Tony.

The three ride their horses past the jeep on the way out, with Tony in front and Atiff last. As he passes by Daeshi he turns to the child.

DAESHI - I know what you really are, I know you brought them to me.

Atiff rides by without saying a word but smiles broadly.

They ride past the jeep. A few yards past and Tony spurs his horse on and the other two quickly do the same and they ride off at a fast pace.

EXT. AFGHAN ROAD - DAY

They reach a crossroad and Roger and Tony try to turn right, but the horses refuse and go left.

TONY - This is the wrong direction.

ATIFF - It is the right direction, we are going to meet my tribe. Everything is ready.

ROGER - The horses know where they're going.

EXT. NAMELESS ONES CAMP - DAY

The camp is a small group of tents in the wilderness. The people look cheerful and wear distinctive clothing. The tents have a subtle genie bottle shape to them. Their material culture shares an obvious connection to the genie dream world. All the tribe wear bracelets like Atiff's.

They ride their horses up to the main canopy in the center. Atiff jumps off his horse and then ignores it as it walks away. Tony and Roger get off their horses.

ATIFF - The horses know where to go. Come, the Chief wants to meet you.

He leads them to the main canopy in the center, the ground is covered with beautiful rugs. The tribal Chief is a wizened old man seated on a pillow. With him is GRANDMOTHER, who wears a veil, and others.

Atiff goes up to the Chief and Grandmother and speaks to them privately and then returns to Tony and Roger.

ATIFF - The Chief says you are guests and he wants you to share our food.

ROGER - Sharing. Food. Sounds good to me.

TONY - Are you the only one here who speaks English?

ATIFF - I do not speak English.

TONY - You're speaking it right now.

ATIFF - No I am not. I am speaking from the heart. Anyone can understand me.

ROGER - He's speaking from the heart.

The Chief claps his hands and three women stand up and begin belly dancing. The dancing is playful but innocent.

ROGER - We need to come here more often.

LATER

Tony is finished eating but Roger still eats. Tony takes a sip of tea. The tribal Chief speaks to Atiff privately and then he returns to Tony.

ATIFF - He wants to know if you need more food.

TONY - Stuffed. Couldn't eat another bite.

ROGER - When's desert?

Grandmother looks right at Tony and catches his eye. She winks at him. She stands up and leaves for her tent. Atiff sitting next to Tony sees this.

ATIFF - Grandmother wants to see you in her tent.

TONY - What does your grandmother want?

ATIFF - She is not my grandmother. She is his grandmother.

Atiff points to the tribal Chief.

TONY - Must be the clean mountain air.

Atiff has brought Tony to the entrance.

ATIFF - She wants to talk to you alone.

INT. GRANDMOTHER'S TENT - DAY

Inside it is beautifully appointed in an unexpected way. Grandmother gestures with her hand for Tony to sit.

CLOSE UP

Grandmother's veiled face fills the screen. She reaches around behind her head and takes off the veil. It is Barbara Eden in a cameo role. Grandmother looks right at Tony.

GRANDMOTHER - Welcome Tony Nelson.

TONY - You know my name.

GRANDMOTHER - I know you very well. I heard about how brave you were. I am glad we chose you.

TONY - On behalf of the U.S. Government I'm glad you chose to work with us.

GRANDMOTHER - We never work with governments. We chose you. Let me give you a gift.

She takes out a long bracelet similar to the ones all the tribe wear. The dominant color in the bracelet is the same as the dominant color will be in Jeannie's native outfit. She puts it on his wrist while making eye contact with Tony so he looks up. She wraps the bracelet around his wrist and it magically meets at the ends and joins together.

TONY - Perfect fit.

EXT. NAMELESS ONES CAMP - DAY

Tony and Roger are back under the canopy.

ATIFF - They put a tracking device in your equipment.

Roger feels around his clothes looking for the tracker.

ATIFF - A jeep to take you home will be here soon. We must leave now.

LATER

Dusk approaches. Tony and Roger sit on one single rug in the same spot as before but everything else is gone and there is no trace that a campsite was ever there. A jeep driven by Agent pulls up to the two of them.

AGENT - Where are they?

TONY - You wouldn't believe us if we told you.

EXT. JEEP RIDE TO PLANE - DAY

Tony and Roger sit in the back seat as DRIVER takes them to their plane. They are cleaned up and in dress uniform, ready to fly back to the States. The two are awkwardly quiet and seem to be trying to avoid eye contact.

ROGER - We're going to have to talk about it eventually. If it was a dream it would go away.

TONY - It doesn't go away. One minute there is a whole camp and then it's just us on a rug.

ROGER - Do you think they put something in the food? Or maybe the tea.

TONY - Maybe it was the red salad.

ROGER - Who eats red salad?

TONY - Didn't want to seem rude. Did you try the stew?

ROGER - Went for the roast lamb. Must have been the tea.

TONY - But we can never tell anyone. You know what happens to SEALs who fail a psych evaluation.

ROGER - Fitness for duty. Military shrinks love to take guys like us down.

TONY - So it's agreed, we don't say anything to anyone.

ROGER - Say anything about what?

He then touches his nose.

TONY - Exactly. That's how we do it.

DRIVER

The camera shows the driver's face at he looks bewildered at what he heard. Behind him Tony and Roger look relieved.

INT. COCKPIT - DAY

Roger is in the pilot's seat and the engines are running. Tony is in the copilot's seat and watches Roger work the buttons and switches.

TONY - Don't we need a copilot?

ROGER - If you want you can sit in the back and let God be my copilot.

TONY - I'd rather rely on something more concrete. I'll be your copilot.

ROGER - Okay copilot, first rule is don't touch anything.

TONY - Understood.

INT. COCKPIT IN FLIGHT - DAY

Roger is busy flying the plane and Tony looks out the side window and seems lost in thought.

TONY - Still thinking about the nameless ones.

ROGER - Thought we weren't going to talk about that.

TONY - No, I mean the stuff before it got weird. When we were just eating and talking with them. Their families seemed so happy and peaceful. Maybe content is the right word.

ROGER - Sounds like you sorta wish you had what they have.

TONY - I wish I had something like that.

Tony's bracelet subtly glows when he says that.

ROGER - Never asked before, but what happened with you and Melissa Stone? You seemed so happy at the engagement party.

TONY - You want to hear the story?

ROGER - Sure.

TONY - Seemed like a great trip at first. You know her parents paid for it. They know business people in Hawaii, arranged everything.

ROGER - Free vacation, can't beat that.

TONY - Just weird how her high school boyfriend was in the room next to ours.

ROGER - Grover Cleveland?

TONY - Grover Caldwell.

ROGER - Who names a kid that?

TONY - It seemed innocent at first, two old friends catching up. And then the wedding's off and she's back with Grover.

ROGER - Hey, do you think her parents might have arranged him being there?

TONY - Her parents? Nah, they loved me.

FLASHBACK TO:

EXT. FRONT DOOR OF PARENT'S HOUSE - DAY

Tony and Melissa Stone are at the front door of the Stone home. Tony sticks out his hand but her father does not shake it. Her father completely ignores Tony while warmly welcoming in his daughter. He almost closes the door before Tony can come in too.

TONY (V.O.) - Thought we got along great.

ROGER (V.O.) - Just checking Tone.

BACK TO PRESENT

TONY - What happened with that girl you were dating before we shipped out?

ROGER - Word of advice, if you're dating a twin never get their names mixed up.

TONY - I'll remember that.

ROGER - Can't change the past.

TONY - Can only learn from it.

EXT. FISHING DHOW - DAY

In the late afternoon a fishing dhow bobs in the ocean and is manned by two men. The SKIPPER mans the tiller and looks up and squints into the sky. He faintly hears and also sees the twin engine plane carrying Roger and Tony. His CREWMAN coils rope by the mast.

SKIPPER - Now is the time!

His crewman leaps into action and pulls back a tarp to reveal a man portable surface to air missile.

He aims it at the plane.

SKIPPER - Not like that. Stand at the edge so the blast doesn't hit the boat.

CREWMAN - I know what I'm doing.

SKIPPER - It will hit the boat.

CREWMAN - Don't tell me what to do.

The crewman fires the missile and the blast coming out from the back of the firing tube sprays all over the boat's deck behind him. The boat catches fire.

CREWMAN - It was an accident.

INT. COCKPIT IN FLIGHT - DAY

ROGER - Blue skies and clear sailing, we'll be home and on leave in no time.

BLAST

There is a blast seen through the cockpit canopy on Tony's side and the plane begins to struggle. Roger expertly fights to bring the plane back to level flight. Tony looks out his window to report on the damage.

TONY - Starboard engine gone, extensive damage to wing, I see a fuel fire. Wing appears to be holding.

ROGER - Cutting off fuel to starboard engine.

Roger works switches.

ROGER - Activating emergency beacon.

Roger picks up the mic.

ROGER - This is Navy Alpha-Golf-Two-One, Kandahar to al Udeid, we have been struck by enemy fire. Are there any rescue crews in the area.

Roger turns up the volume on the radio. All that comes out is angry shouting in foreign languages.

ROGER - How does the wing look?

TONY - Don't want to chance it.

ROGER - We have to get over land. Istanistan is closest.

Roger pulls the stick and the plane swerves to Tony's side.

TONY - Can you put her down with one engine?

ROGER - I can if the wing holds.

They hear a creak from the wings and look at each other.

LATER

ROGER - No can do al Udeid tower, not taking us back over water.

AL UDEID TOWER - If you go down over Istanistan we can't get to you.

ROGER - The wing might come off at anytime.

AL UDEID TOWER - We have a sub off the coast of Oman that can pick you up.

ROGER - We lost too much fuel, won't make it.

Small pieces keep dropping off the wing and creaking noises can be heard from the stress on the frame.

ROGER - We need to ditch. Turning on auto pilot.

BACK OF PLANE

The two have their parachutes on. Tony is at the door.

TONY - Ready?

ROGER - Let's do this.

Tony opens the door and expertly jumps out. The plane lurches and Roger loses his footing and the wind pushes him backwards. His pack gets caught on the door and rips apart and out comes the parachute inside the plane.

Roger struggles with the parachute and is completely covered by it. Eventually he makes his way to the top and his head pops out.

COCKPIT

Roger grabs hold of the stick and steadies the plane. He turns on the radio and pulls out a small plastic covered map from a side pocket and quickly studies it.

ROGER - Bedestan airport, do you copy?

He listens to the radio and all he hears is shouting in foreign languages.

ROGER - Bedestan airport, this is Navy Alpha-Golf-Two-One, Kandahar to Al Udeid, have been hit by enemy fire and need to make an emergency landing. Over.

Again he hears nothing but angry shouting in foreign languages.

ROGER - Here we go.

EXT. PARACHUTING THROUGH SKY - DAY

The parachute tosses as Tony struggles for control, constantly working the guide lines. A cliff approaches. Behind it is a stretch of treeless plain and behind that a ridge. It becomes clear that he might hit the cliff.

He just barely misses hitting the cliff. His landing is jarring and damaging to his leg. Tony lies unconscious in the dying light of the day as his clothes and the parachute play in the wind.

DAWN

Dawn breaks and Tony is still unconscious. The parachute is caught in the wind and it blows in the direction of the cliff face. Each gust pulls Tony a few inches closer to the cliff while he lies unconscious on his side.

MIDDAY

The wind has pulled Tony right up to the cliff face and the parachute flutters in the air over the edge. He wakes and struggles to regain his senses. One side of his face is red and scratched from being dragged.

Propping himself up he looks over the cliff edge and feels the tug of the parachute as it plays in the wind.

TONY - My lucky day.

LATER

Tony has gathered up the parachute and pack and tosses them over the cliff.

He stands up facing the cliff edge and turns his head to look behind him. He walks towards the ridge. Backwards. After he has gone a few yards the camera pans down and we see why. His footprints are visible in the dirt. Anyone who follows them will be going the wrong way.

Tony is at the ridge and walks a few feet on the stony ground. He looks and sees that he is no longer leaving footprints on this rocky terrain. He turns around and he spots an overhanging rock and makes his way towards it.

EXT. DESERT CAVE - DAY

The overhanging rock turns out to be the entrance to a small cave. As soon as he has gone in far enough to be in the shade he collapses and goes to sleep.

Tony wakes up and sees an Istanistan Army patrol walking across the plain. The patrol reaches his track of footprints and the officer in charge squats down to examine them. After studying them he stands up and leads the small patrol in the wrong direction. The trick worked.

Tony waves at them.

TONY - Goodbye fellas.

Tony tries to smash a scorpion with a rock but misses and it scurries to the back of the cave and Tony follows. Catching up to the scorpion he aims and strikes. Picking up the dead scorpion he thinks about eating it.

Then he sees it, the genie bottle. He digs the bottle out of the sand and studies it. He shakes it to see what's inside. Nothing. He gives it one last try and tries to take the top off. It's stuck. He gets it off with some effort. He turns the bottle upside down and nothing comes out. Tony closes his eyes to rest.

Then genie smoke comes out of the bottle and takes the form of a woman sitting next to him. Tony is too exhausted to give a startled reaction.

TONY - I wish this was real.

She double winks back at him. Tony looks out at the glaring sunlight at the cave entrance.

TONY - Another day.

He then lies down and falls asleep.

JEANNIE - Yes master, you need your sleep.

NEXT MORNING

A colorful songbird looking like a painted bunting sits with Jeannie while she waits for Tony. She has a jug of water ready. He wakes and sits up under her attentive gaze. He looks at Jeannie without giving away how he feels. Long moments pass but it feels natural. When the time is right Jeannie gestures to the water jug.

TONY - Water? Do I want water? Sure do.

Jeannie pours a glass from the jug, passes it to Tony and he quickly drinks it. When he's finished she holds up the jug again.

TONY - Yes, more would be great.

He drinks the water she gives him.

TONY - I wish we could speak the same language.

Jeannie blinks.

JEANNIE - As you wish.

TONY - You speak English.

JEANNIE - No, I do not.

TONY - I know this one, you speak from the heart. In your language, I have to say that's good water.

JEANNIE - Glacier water, it's the best I could find.

TONY - Didn't know they have glaciers around here.

Tony notices her bracelet.

TONY - We have the same bracelet.

Tony stretches his arm out to show and she holds her's next to his. For a second they seem to glow when brought close together. Tony jerks his head at this but says nothing.

TONY - Where is the rest of the tribe?

JEANNIE - The tribe?

TONY - The nameless ones.

JEANNIE - Oh, they will be here soon.

TONY - Yeah, I recognized the bracelet.

Tony looks around at the cave and notices the songbirds.

TONY - Birds?

EXT. CAVE ENTRANCE - DAY

Several nameless ones have arrived with the Chief of this clan, Yazdan, a robust middle aged man. Tony's leg has received some crude field treatment.

Jeannie is already on top of her horse. As usual there is a songbird near her, they are drawn to her. Yazdan is with Tony helping him get on his horse.

TONY - We need to move fast Yazdan, there's an Istanistan patrol in the area.

YAZDAN - Do not worry Anthony Nelson.

TONY - Spotted them nearby.

YAZDAN - Do not worry. We can find another way to get you to camp.

TONY - I can still ride. Just need help getting on.

JEANNIE - I can put you on your horse master.

Tony looks bashful.

TONY - This is the third time you called me master.

YAZDAN - It is the custom of her people.

TONY - Always respect local customs. You nameless ones have your own traditions.

YAZDAN - She is not a nameless one.

TONY - What are you called?

JEANNIE - Genie.

With Yazdan's help and much effort he gets on the horse.

EXT. YAZDAN'S CAMP - DAY

Tony wakes up alone in a black tent.

He pushes aside the tent flap and steps out into the camp. He has taken off some of his old clothes and rather than looking crudely tended to his leg now looks expertly tended to. It is a scene of rustic bliss. They are in a desert wilderness all alone.

A small group of children carrying an attractively carved wooden crutch run up to Tony at the entrance to his tent.

CHILD - We made this for you.

TONY - Well, thanks kids. Fits perfectly.

With the help of the crutch he makes his way to the main canopy in the center of camp. In the background you catch glimpses of tribesman erecting a small, mostly white tent.

CANOPY

Tony sits upon a rug under the canopy with Jeannie and others. Yazdan sits on a pillow in the Chief's position.

TONY - Don't know what they did to my leg but it's healing fast.

YAZDAN - It will heal well. Stronger than before.

TONY - I can't thank you enough for taking me in. I don't know what I would have done if you didn't find me.

YAZDAN - You do not have to thank us.

TONY - A guest should always be thankful.

YAZDAN - But you are not a guest.

Yazdan claps his hands and two women and Jeannie start belly dancing. The other two do the same demure dance that was done at the first camp. Jeannie is in the middle and does her own dance directed at Tony. She wants to catch his eye and so her belly dancing is, let's say, less demure than the others. She does catch his eye, he can't ignore her. But he is bashful and fearful of offending.

LATER

The composition of the group has dwindled and it is close to evening. Jeannie sits next to Tony.

JEANNIE - More tea? I made it myself.

TONY - I won't be able to sleep if I drink anymore.

JEANNIE - More red salad? I made it myself.

TONY - No, ate so much already. I have to get back to my tent. Need to rest so I can heal up.

JEANNIE - I will take you to the tent.

YAZDAN - Finally.

Jeannie helps Tony get up and tries to help him walk but he goes the wrong way.

JEANNIE - No master, we are going to a different tent. That one over there.

She points to the newly constructed white tent. It is small but sticks out as attractive and noteworthy.

As they walk towards the tent people, mostly women, gather and follow them. By the time they reach the entrance there is a small crowd behind them. Tony turns to them and waves before lifting the tent flap and entering with Jeannie. The crowd applauds enthusiastically. Tony has no idea.

INT. WEDDING TENT - DAY

Inside the tent there is a beautiful and uniquely designed knife in a sheath hanging on a hook. There is activity at the tent flap and you can hear the tribeswomen and see them push the fabric from the other side.

There is no western bed in the tent, but there are rugs and pillows and blankets and their version of a bed. On a small stand next to the bed is her genie bottle. Jeannie gets down to prepare the bed.

Tony glances again at the tent flap and notices all the activity.

TONY - What are they doing?

JEANNIE - Sewing it shut. It is for privacy.

TONY - I don't need privacy.

Tony sees the knife and makes his way over and unsheaths it. He holds it and tests it against the air. Jeannie continues to make the bed and lights incense when finished.

TONY - Fits perfectly.

JEANNIE - I know.

Tony does the knife balance test of holding it out on top of one finger by the hilt. It balances perfectly.

TONY - Perfect balance. This must be worth a lot.

JEANNIE - It is priceless.

TONY - Whose is it?

JEANNIE - It is yours. In the morning use it to unseal the tent.

Tony sheaths the knife and hangs it on the hook. Jeannie is finished with the incense and gets up.

JEANNIE - Let me take this master.

She takes his crutch away and helps Tony to lie down on his back in the middle of the bed she has made.

JEANNIE - Let me take off your shoes.

PROFILE VIEW

We see the couple in profile. She kneels down by his feet and takes off his shoes. After taking off the shoes she slowly crawls forward above his body on hand and knee. When she reaches his face she looks into his eyes.

JEANNIE - It is time master.

TONY - Sure is. I'm dog tired.

Tony turns over underneath her and goes to sleep. Jeannie moves over a polite distance to his side and lies on her back waiting for sleep to come to her as well.

JEANNIE - Are all American men like this?

MORNING

Tony uses the knife to cut through the sewing on the tent flap. He and Jeannie make it out of the tent. A small group is there to applaud. Again Tony doesn't understand.

WOMAN - Congratulations.

The others applaud and agree with her. Tony turns to Jeannie and speaks privately with her.

TONY - For what?

JEANNIE - For getting married. This is our wedding tent.

Close up of Tony having it all hit him.

EXT. YAZDAN'S CAMP - CANOPY - DAY

With Jeannie's help Tony sits down under the canopy and she sits next to him. He has already switched more of his uniform for local items.

Jeannie turns away slightly and then turns back with a tea pot in her hand.

JEANNIE - Tea master?

TONY - Sure.

Jeannie turns away from him slightly and then turns back with a bowl of red salad in her hands.

JEANNIE - Red salad?

TONY - Sure.

Yazdan claps his hands and the usual two women start belly dancing while they eat, but without Jeannie.

TONY - Aren't you going to dance?

Jeannie is disturbed and gives him a look and leans in to try and get him to take the hint.

YAZDAN - She is married now.

TONY - Yeah, I forgot. So no more dancing?

YAZDAN - Why do you need dancing now? Aren't you tired?

Jeannie leans in and looks at him again to give him a hint.

TONY - Exhausted.

The others smile naturally while Jeannie smiles awkwardly.

DAYS LATER

Time has passed and Tony has traded even more of his clothes for native dress. Jeannie helps him into the canopy.

Jeannie turns slightly away from him and then turns back with a pot of tea.

JEANNIE - Tea master?

TONY - Sure.

Yazdan claps his hands and the belly dancers start dancing. He watches, maybe a little too much, and Jeannie notices.

GONE NATIVE

Tony has gone fully native. All his clothes are local items and he carries the crutch in his hand and walks confidently. He and Jeannie take their places under the canopy.

Jeannie turns away and turns back with a pot of tea.

JEANNIE - Tea master?

TONY - Of course. And maybe stew this time.

JEANNIE - Yes, master.

Jeannie turns away and then turns back with a bowl of stew.

TONY - Can I do it this time?

YAZDAN - Of course.

Tony claps his hands and the two women start belly dancing.

EXT. HORSEBACK RIDING IN DESERT - DAY

Tony and Yazdan round up the herds on horseback. They expertly work together and wheel and turn to gather all the herd together and move them in the right direction.

Yazdan and Tony ride back to camp.

YAZDAN - You are an expert rider Anthony Nelson.

TONY - Grew up on a ranch. Your saddles are different but horses are the same everywhere. Though you don't say giddy up here.

YAZDAN - What does giddy up mean?

TONY - It means go forward.

YAZDAN - We just tell the horse go forward.

TONY - American horses like giddy up better.

YAZDAN - I would like to ride an American horse one day. But to live in America, too many people, all around you.

TONY - Definitely lots of people.

YAZDAN - Here if anyone comes close we move the next day.

TONY - Yazdan, then why did you let a stranger like me in?

YAZDAN - I have told you before, you are not a stranger.

EXT. YAZDAN'S CAMP - DAY

Jeannie and Grandmother sit alone watching Tony and Yazdan put away the horses after returning.

GRANDMOTHER - I heard things are not going well with you and Tony.

JEANNIE - We don't go at all.

GRANDMOTHER - Has this ever happened to you before?

Jeannie holds her hands out to mean 'look at me'.

JEANNIE - What do you think?

GRANDMOTHER - This is bad.

JEANNIE - Maybe he does not want a genie. I will tell him he can put me back in the cave and be free of me.

GRANDMOTHER - Yazdan and I specially picked this one. We learned his story.

JEANNIE - Do you think it will work? He always comes for me.

GRANDMOTHER - The story never lies.

EXT. YAZDAN'S CAMP - CANOPY - DAY

Tony, Jeannie, Yazdan and others are under the canopy. The evening is getting late and the sun is low in the sky. Some of the women pull their clothes together for warmth. There are empty plates around showing dinner is long over.

Yazdan looks more serious than usual. He seems to be trying to make a hard decision. Finally he seems to reach some sort of conclusion.

YAZDAN - Tony, are you not happy with your genie?

TONY - Well, sure, she's great.

YAZDAN - Does she not keep your tent clean?

TONY - Spotless. Like magic to be honest.

Everyone nods in agreement at this obvious point.

YAZDAN - Do you like the tea she makes you?

TONY - Love the tea.

Yazdan glances at Jeannie.

YAZDAN - And the food?

TONY - I should have said something earlier. Not a red salad guy. Just didn't know I would be here this long.

JEANNIE - You should have told me.

YAZDAN - You two need to be alone. You need to talk.

JEANNIE - You are right Yazdan.

EXT. DESERT CAVE - DAY

Tony turns his head down to scratch an itch on his neck. He turns his head back up and the others are gone and he and Jeannie are on a rug back in the cave where he found her.

TONY - Did it happen again?

Tony puts his hand on his forehead.

TONY - Am I running a fever?

JEANNIE - Master, are you not happy with me? Do you want another genie instead?

TONY - This master thing, I know they think we're married, but none of the other wives call their husband master.

JEANNIE - I do not call you master because you are my husband. I call you master because I am your genie. You rescued me from my bottle after five hundred years.

TONY - Five hundred years. A bottle.

Tony grabs his head in discomfort. A new idea is coming and it is having a painful birth.

JEANNIE - Do not tell me you did not know master. You must have known all this time.

The idea birthing process becomes more painful for Tony.

TONY - Master.

JEANNIE - I have never lied to you. You must have known.

Jeannie blinks her bottle on to the rug with them.

JEANNIE - I will go back into the bottle. You can leave me here where you found me and it is over.

Tony grabs the bottle away from her protectively.

TONY - My bottle.

JEANNIE - Remember all the times I made food for you?

SERIES OF SHOTS

We see again the three times Jeannie has been shown making food for Tony under the main canopy in the camp. Before she was shown turning away almost as if to pick up food. We see repeats of the three scenes from a better angle. She turns away slightly and blinks food into creation and hands it to Tony. He pretends not to notice and none of the tribespeople find her magic noteworthy.

CAVE

JEANNIE - Remember how I keep our wedding tent so nice?

FLASHBACK TO:

INT. WEDDING TENT - DAY

Jeannie and Tony enter a messy wedding tent. He turns away to hang something on a hook. When he turns back everything has been magically made perfect. He puts his hands on his hips and gives a curious shrug and seems to say huh.

BACK TO PRESENT

TONY - I just thought you were hardworking.

JEANNIE - Remember when you went hunting?

FLASHBACK TO :

EXT. HUNTING IN DESERT - DAY

Jeannie, Yazdan and Tony are bow hunting and Tony aims at a large boar. As he takes his shot he stumbles and shoots the arrow into the air. Jeannie blinks the arrow to magically curve around through the air and hit the boar which tips over dead like a cardboard cut out. Tony puts his hands on his hips, gives a curious shrug and seems to say huh.

BACK TO PRESENT

Tony is starting to get through this now. He puts his hands down and looks at her, really looks at her. She smiles back at him.

TONY - You're a real genie?

JEANNIE - I am your genie.

TONY - The bottle I found in the cave, you came out of it, like smoke.

JEANNIE - Yes.

TONY - I didn't say anything because I thought I was going crazy. Am I crazy?

JEANNIE - Not more than most people.

TONY - Do something. Make this carpet fly.

Jeannie blinks and the rug they sit on lifts up a few feet in the air. It slightly undulates and shifts as if alive. Tony is understandably surprised and looks all around. He pushes down on the rug to feel it. Then he leans over and reaches underneath the rug to feel around.

TONY - How high can this go? I wanna see it.

EXT. FLYING CARPET - DAY

The flying carpet is now above the clouds. Underneath you can see the camp through the holes in the cloud cover. Cloud wisps float by and through them.

JEANNIE - You see master, very high.

TONY - Yes.

JEANNIE - Make a choice master. We can go back to the cave and I will return to my vessel and you can leave me. It is your decision.

TONY - Never losing you.

JEANNIE - Are you sure? It will be hard. Very hard.

Tony clutches the bottle tightly.

TONY - It was hard before. But now I have you.

Just then a gust of wind shakes the flying carpet and Tony reaches out to steady himself.

JEANNIE - Do not worry, I would not let my loved one fall.

TONY - Your loved one?

JEANNIE - Yes.

They look into each other's eyes and for the first time Tony can see her feelings for him. He takes a moment to process this new information and then they kiss for several long moments.

TONY - Let's go back to the wedding tent.

INT. WEDDING TENT - DAY

They are in the tent with the flying carpet floating a few feet above the ground.

TONY - Land this sucker.

EXT. WEDDING TENT - DAY

From the outside the camp's women sew up the tent flap again.

NEXT MORNING

Tony enthusiastically cuts open the tent flap with his knife and emerges with Jeannie. A crowd of tribespeople wait for them. Tony looks damn proud of what he did. They applaud and celebrate. With one arm around Jeannie he holds up his knife for them to see.

TONY - Good knife.

The men of the village pull up their shirts to show identical knives in sheaths.

TONY - Still a good knife.

EXT. SOME DISTANCE FROM THE CAMP - DAY

The initial excitement of the past few days has calmed down but they are still new lovers and attentive to each other. The two sit on a rocky outcropping a short distance from the camp and watch the others move and go about their day.

JEANNIE - Master, why did you not have a wife before?

TONY - I tried but it didn't work out. Don't really know why. After a while I thought I was just meant to be a loner.

JEANNIE - You are not a loner.

TONY - That's what people call me. Say I keep to myself.

JEANNIE - Why master?

TONY - Sometimes I wonder if it has to do with my Dad dying when I was young.

JEANNIE - Tell me the story.

FLASHBACK TO :

INT. FUNERAL HOME - DAY

Twelve year old Tony, his mom and two kid brothers are dressed up for their father's wake. The family stands in a line next to the coffin and above the coffin is a very large portrait photo of their deceased father smoking a cigarette. Mourners walk by to pay their respects and shake hands with the family as they go by.

TONY (V.O.) - Dad going was a surprise to all of us. Cancer. No one saw it coming.

The camera closes on the portrait.

INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - KITCHEN - DAY

At the table his mother is slumped forward and holds a small framed photo of her late husband smoking a cigarette. Tony stands at the other end of the table wearing some of his father's work clothes and getting ready to head out. He struggles to put on his father's worn denim jacket and it fits poorly. Young Tony smiles broadly and pretends not to notice what a mess his mother is.

TONY (V.O.) - But we had a ranch to run so there wasn't much time to feel sad. We all had to go straight back to work.

EXT. RANCH - DAY

Tony is on his horse and lassos a stray cow. He looks pleased. Then the cow walks forward. It easily pulls him off the saddle.

TONY (V.O.) - Ranching can be hard at times. Nothing to complain about though.

He lies there and grimaces slightly while trying to remain stoic. Then the cow takes a step and pulls him farther along and he slides along the ground while holding the rope with both hands stretched over his head. After the pulling stops he takes on a determined look and grits his teeth. The cow starts walking again and his body slides forward.

DAYS LATER

Tony is back on his horse but time has passed and now he has his own work clothes that fit him.

TONY (V.O.) - I was the oldest so it was natural for me to do most of the work.

He lassos a cow again. This time he immediately wraps his end of the rope around the saddle horn. The cow tries to walk forward but the weight of the horse stops him. The cow gives up and follows along behind Tony and his horse as they go home.

INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - DAY

Tony comes home in dirty work clothes. His two younger brothers watch TV while lazily sprawled out on the sofa.

TONY (V.O.) - But my two brothers helped out as much as they could. We all pulled together.

KITCHEN

Tony is at the sink doing dishes. There is a huge pile of dishes next to the sink and he is furiously washing away.

TONY (V.O.) - Mom was great. She did everything she could.

His mother is slumped over at the kitchen table again with a highball in her hand. She looks up and gives something close to a smile to young Tony at the sink who smiles broadly to encourage her.

BACK TO PRESENT

Tony looks pensive and holds onto Jeannie's hand for support.

TONY - Now that I think about it, maybe that's not exactly how it happened.

JEANNIE - You don't have to change your story for me.

INT. WEDDING TENT - DAY

Tony has breakfast in his tent with Jeannie by his side and a cup of coffee in one hand and baklava in the other.

TONY - That's damn good coffee.

JEANNIE - I am so glad you like it master.

TONY - And the baklava, great recipe, but are those almonds?

JEANNIE - Yes.

TONY - Can it be pecans?

Jeannie blinks the baklava and Tony tries it.

TONY - What if every other layer was marzipan? That one you make with rosewater.

Jeannie blinks again and Tony tries it.

TONY - Perfect. Just like my life.

JEANNIE - Oh thank you master.

He takes another bite and begins talking before he has finished eating.

TONY - You know who would love this, Roger, that guy loves food.

JEANNIE - The friend you keep telling me about?

TONY - Yeah, I miss the guy. Don't even know what happened to him. Take this away, I need to do something about my friend.

Jeannie blinks the food and coffee away.

TONY - Not the coffee.

She blinks it back.

TONY - Where can I talk to someone, or buy a newspaper?

JEANNIE - There is a town we can visit.

TONY - I'll get the horses.

JEANNIE - Can we go in one? I can ride in my bottle. I am tired from all the cooking.

EXT. YAZDAN'S CAMP - DAY

Tony stands next to a horse holding the genie bottle.

TONY - Ready?

She turns into genie smoke and goes into the bottle and he mounts the horse and rides off.

INT. GENIE BOTTLE - DAY

Once we see the inside of the bottle we understand why Jeannie wants to spend more time there. It is not the tiny room of the TV show, but a garden paradise filled with beautiful plants and birds. The birds fly to her.

EXT. ISTANISTAN TOWN - DAY

Tony rides into a small town and pulls his horse into an alley for privacy and dismounts and takes the stopper off the bottle and Jeannie smokes out of the bottle.

JEANNIE - Let us go to the souk. That is the best place to ask about your friend.

SOUK

They walk through the town's marketplace looking for potential sources of information.

TONY - Don't see anybody selling the Wall Street Journal.

Suddenly there is activity near one stall as people crowd about and shout.

They join the crowd and see that they are all peering at an old television. A government official speaks on screen. Then the TV cuts to Roger in prison uniform standing in front of a microphone with harsh lighting glaring on him.

TONY - That's Roger.

ON TELEVISION

Roger taps on the mic to see if it works. He blows on it, but we do not hear it. He flips the on/off switch several times. He then taps it again and clearly cannot get any sound from it so he turns to people off camera and shrugs.

All this time the sound from the TV is of someone clearly not Roger speaking with a posh British accent.

TV

I am an American spy sent to infiltrate the unstoppable Istanistan Army. I was captured and all my nefarious plans have come to naught.

The TV switches back to the government official as the locals excitedly talk among themselves.

TONY - Can you get him out of Istanistan?

Jeannie looks down and does not want to answer.

TONY - He's my friend.

JEANNIE - I can get him out, but that will be powerful magic, not like the magic I do for you.

TONY - But you can do it?

JEANNIE - Yes, master.

Jeannie steadies herself on her feet and stands upright like Barbara Eden would do. She crosses her arms and blinks. When the locals see this they take several steps back from her. Tony grabs her arm protectively.

TONY - Don't be afraid of them.

JEANNIE - It is not them I am afraid of.

INT. CAVE OF THE BLUE DJINN - DAY

In the cave of the Blue Djinn he starts to regain life due to the use of powerful magic by Jeannie.

The fully alive Djinn is blue, powerful and bald, but now he lies lifeless and shrunken on his bed under the canopy. There are several crows around him, they are his avian allies the way songbirds are the allies of Jeannie. The lion lies a distance from the birds and watches the scene warily.

EXT. NAMELESS ONE CAMP - DAY

Roger, Tony, Yazdan and others sit under the main canopy of the first nameless ones camp in Afghanistan. Roger lies oddly on his stomach while propped up on his elbows to eat. In a corner by themselves sit Jeannie and Grandmother.

TONY - Why don't you sit like everyone else?

ROGER - Why don't you shut up?

YAZDAN - Anthony Nelson, your friend has come a long way.

ROGER - A long way on horseback. One thousand miles by horse, I'd like to see you do that.

TONY - I thought it was three hundred miles.

Tony looks to Yazdan and he reluctantly confirms this.

YAZDAN - Yes, it was three hundred miles.

ROGER - Tell that to my ass.

Yazdan looks confused and wants to say something but doesn't know what is appropriate.

TONY - He doesn't mean it that way.

ROGER - Three hundred miles. Hope I never ride a horse again.

Roger adjusts his body to ease his pain and then reaches down to rub his butt. The others politely look away.

TONY - The important thing is you got out.

ROGER - Hard to believe how. It seemed like magic.

TONY - So what happened?

ROGER - One day I was in the prison yard and these birds started following me around and tugging on my clothes. So I followed them and found a tunnel.

TONY - Cool birds.

ROGER - I get to the end of the tunnel and there is this horse. So I hop on.

FLASHBACK TO:

EXT. DESERT - DAY

Roger sits on a horse with the saddlery of the nameless ones. He pulls on the reins to move the horse one way, but the horse fights him. Eventually Roger gives up and the horse moves off in the right direction. In frustration Roger drops the reins and crosses his arms.

ROGER(V.O.) - I used the position of the sun to determine what direction to ride in.

TONY (V.O.) - Good thinking Rog.

BACK TO PRESENT

ROGER - When I got to the border Yazdan and his friends found me. Helping a stranger out like that, I owe you one.

YAZDAN - You owe us nothing. And we never help strangers.

TONY - I'll explain it later.

JEANNIE AND GRANDMOTHER

Now we see from the view of Jeannie and Grandmother in the corner. Jeannie turns to Grandmother and they speak privately.

JEANNIE - I am worried Grandmother. He will come for me. He always does.

GRANDMOTHER - This master is strong. He is a great warrior.

JEANNIE - He is a kind man too. I hope he does not make me do too much magic.

GRANDMOTHER - He has something the others did not. A good friend to help him.

She turns and looks at Roger lying on his stomach and rubbing his butt.

JEANNIE - Roger Healey?

GRANDMOTHER - Yes. With friends one can do anything.

JEANNIE - This one is more than just my master. He has my love.

GRANDMOTHER - Then he has two things the others did not.

PREVIOUS VIEW

YAZDAN - Your friends will be here soon. They will take you home. We must leave now.

ROGER - But I just got here. I didn't even get the fancy clothes that Tony got. And I love this stew.

Roger leans down to eat more stew. When he looks up again the nameless ones and their tents and animals are gone and it is just him, Tony and Jeannie under the large canopy.

ROGER - It happened again. Just like before. You saw it too?

TONY - There is something we need to talk about.

ROGER - A lot of things.

TONY - Jeannie, come sit over here with me.

Jeannie sits right next to Tony and affectionately puts her head on his shoulder.

ROGER - You two are more than just friends.

TONY - You've been gone for a long time Roger. Jeannie and I are married.

ROGER - You get married and have an adventure and I go to a military prison.

TONY - Rog, can you sit up for this? It's important and it's hard to take you seriously like this.

ROGER - I hope this is worth it.

Roger gets up and sits on a rug but first carefully selects a decorated pillow to sit on. He gingerly sits down.

TONY - Jeannie is my wife and we love each other. But there is more than that. This is going to be hard to take, but she's a genie.

ROGER - That's not hard to take.

TONY - It's not just her name. She is a magical creature I found in a bottle and now I sort of ... posses her.

JEANNIE - He owns me. He is my master.

ROGER - I gotta meet one of these local girls.

TONY - She's not local. Where are you originally from?

JEANNIE - Baghdad.

ROGER - And she's a genie.

TONY - Yes.

ROGER - Whatever floats your boat.

TONY - We should just show him. Do the flying carpet thing.

Jeannie blinks and the rug Roger sits on floats up a few feet. Roger pushes against the carpet to test it.

ROGER - How high can this go?

TONY - Show him.

Jeannie blinks and Roger and his carpet disappear. Tony peers around the canopy up at the sky but cannot see Roger.

TONY - He's not going to fall off is he?

JEANNIE - How do I know?

TONY - Bring him back. Right now.

Jeannie blinks again and the carpet reappears and floats a few feet above the ground. Roger is on all fours and grasping the rug as tightly as he can.

ROGER - Don't ever do that again.

LATER

The three of them sit under the canopy. Roger still sits on his special pillow. Off in the distance three military jeeps come down the road toward them.

ROGER - One last thing before they get here Jeannie, why a magic horse? Why not a magic airplane?

JEANNIE - I have been in a bottle for five hundred years. I do not know about airplanes.

ROGER - Well, learn.

The jeeps are much closer now. Almost at the canopy.

TONY - Remember Rog, military shrinks.

ROGER - They will never believe us.

TONY - No.

ROGER - They'll have us out of the service or locked up. Fitness for duty.

TONY - Fitness for duty.

The three jeeps pull up to them. There are soldiers in the first and last one and the middle one is driven by Agent. They pull up in an arc in front of the canopy and the soldiers quickly exit and scan the area for threats while Agent walks right up to them.

AGENT - Fellas, I bet you have one hell of a story to tell.

INT. SITUATION ROOM - DAY

Peterson reads a report at the center table.

GARY - Sir, it's on now.

PETERSON - Put it on the big screen.

The White House video feed comes on the largest screen.

ON TELEVISION

The President is holding a White House media event with a podium and stage and many distinguished guests seated behind them.

Tony, Roger and Jeannie walk across the stage. Roger still holds his special pillow. He tries to hide it behind his back.

The President reaches out to enthusiastically shake Tony's hand. When he's done Roger sticks his hand out but the President ignores him and instead holds his arms out as he looks at Jeannie. Eventually he flips his hands towards himself for her to come give him a hug. She has no idea what this means. He gestures again. Then she holds out her hands the same way and makes the same gesture. Jeannie is trying to fit in.

PRESIDENT (ON TV) - This brave man not only survived weeks in the desert, but he managed to meet a nice girl. That's what I call ingenuity.

The people behind him laugh at this.

PRESIDENT (ON TV) - I'm telling you, now I wish I was a Navy SEAL too.

PETERSON - Mute it.

Gary turns off the sound.

PETERSON - Who is that woman?

GARY - We don't know.

PETERSON - What did he say at the debriefing?

GARY - The President put off the debriefing until after the media event.

PETERSON - How did she get security clearance for a White House event?

GARY - Spousal exception.

Peterson looks at the muted screen. The camera does a close up of Tony giving a boyish grin and smiling at Jeannie.

PETERSON - He did it to me again.

GARY - What sir?

PETERSON - Where is her background report?

GARY - There is none.

PETERSON - What do you know about her?

GARY - She's hot?

PETERSON - Exactly the kind of woman who would make a perfect spy. I want a full background search done on her. Deliver the results to me personally.

INT. TONY'S HOUSE - DAY

Tony is at the front door in uniform and ready to go to work. Jeannie still wears her native dress and sees him off. In the background the TV plays.

TONY - Are you going to be okay alone today?

JEANNIE - Yes and it will give me time to learn about today's world. I have so much to learn and the TV is helping so much.

TONY - Okay, but don't watch any reality shows, that's all faked. And don't watch the news, it's depressing and it's the same thing every day.

JEANNIE - Reality is fake and each new is the same. What should I watch?

TONY - You know what I like to watch, reruns of those wholesome shows they used to make.

JEANNIE - Master, you are so wise.

He gives her one last peck before he goes.

COUCH

Jeannie sits on the couch and holds the remote.

JEANNIE - Reruns.

She flips the channels until she hits a Hart to Hart rerun.

JEANNIE - Hmmm.

She watches for a few moments and then blinks. Suddenly there are many more TVs of various sizes and shapes completely filling up the wall. All show reruns, one has a Dallas rerun showing one of Larry Hagman's scenes. On another is a rerun of The Brass Bottle showing one of Barbara Eden's early roles. There is a rerun of Bewitched, the inspiration for the show. And on one screen is Rerun from What's Happening doing his famous dance.

JEANNIE'S EYES

Her pupils slowly and magically become unnaturally wide, filling up almost her whole iris. In the blackness of her pupils we see all the televisions reflected and her eyes move back and forth taking it all in.

TONY COMES HOME

Different shows are on the TVs. There is a knock at the door, Jeannie blinks the extra TVs away and opens the door and hugs Tony who walks in carrying things including books.

JEANNIE - I missed you so much.

TONY - Missed you too. How was your first day on your own?

JEANNIE - I learned so much about the modern world.

TONY - I brought you more books from the library. This one is famous, it's called War and Peace.

JEANNIE - I can't wait to read it.

Jeannie grabs the book and magically flips through the pages at lightning speed and her head quickly turns back and forth reading the pages.

JEANNIE - Sad ending. Why are Russian novels so long?

TONY - They say it's the long winters.

She nods knowingly.

TONY - Roger wants us to go to dinner with him tonight. Are you ready for the modern world?

JEANNIE - It will be easy now. Let me change.

She blinks her clothes to a very contemporary outfit, showing just how much she has learned.

TONY - That's nice but I was thinking of fancy sit down.

Jeannie blinks again to change her clothes.

TONY - Fancy sit down in San Diego, not New York.

Jeannie blinks once more and this time it's perfect. The best outfit so far.

JEANNIE - How do you like it?

TONY - I like it so much I think we're going to be late for dinner.

INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

ROGER - C'mon Tone, at least let her blink us some of that tea.

TONY - It was good tea, but no.

ROGER - A little can't hurt.

TONY - I want Jeannie to do as little blinky blinky as possible. It will only get us in trouble.

ROGER - And get us out of trouble.

TONY - I think avoiding magic is what's best. I know you had your heart set on a new car, but it wouldn't be right.

ROGER - New car, when I found out she's a genie I thought I'd have a new yacht by now.

A few tables away a new dinner party settles down at an empty table and one of them spots Tony.

DINER - Major Nelson, it's me, Bob Grant!

TONY - Bob Grant?

Tony gives back a friendly wave.

ROGER - I think you saved his life in Kandahar.

TONY - I better go and talk to him.

As soon as he leaves the table Roger pulls out a racing form from his jacket pocket.

ROGER - Say Jeannie, have you ever heard of a racing form?

JEANNIE - No.

ROGER - Well, it's something you don't need to tell Tony about, do you understand?

JEANNIE - Not really.

ROGER - He has enough things going on, he doesn't need to be bothered with every little thing.

JEANNIE - Now I understand.

ROGER - This is a racing form. Seven races tomorrow, all the long shots circled. Can you see them?

Roger pushes the racing form along the table towards her and steals a glance at Tony. He's busy with Bob Grant.

ROGER - Seven long shots, can you remember the names of all those horses?

JEANNIE - Yes, I have a very good memory.

ROGER - It would be a miracle if all seven came in first tomorrow, wouldn't it?

JEANNIE - Yes, I think it would be.

ROGER - And we both know that miracles like that really happen, right?

JEANNIE - If you say so.

ROGER - I say so.

Roger touches his nose. She touches her nose too.

ROGER - Now remember, don't tell Tony, he's busy enough.

Jeannie leans in and looks at Roger closely.

JEANNIE - Tell him what?

ROGER - Exactly. That's how we do it.

EXT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

The three stand in front of the restaurant and the valet brings Roger's car first.

ROGER - Been a great evening, I'd like to do something together on the weekend but I'm going to be busy tomorrow.

JEANNIE - ROGER

Yes it is. See you on Monday.

Roger waves as he drives away.

TONY - Why is tomorrow a big day?

JEANNIE - I am going to sign up for a gym.

TONY - Almost forgot about that. We'll go together.

INT. GYM - DAY

Tony and Jeannie look in through the doorway to a spinning class. It is filled with sweaty people cycling as fast as they can while the instructor yells at them to go faster.

JEANNIE - I thought slavery was forbidden.

TONY - They're not slaves, they are just trying to stay fit.

Suddenly the instructor turns up the music and turns on the flashing lights and yells even louder at them, telling them to go faster and faster. The cyclist respond and pedal as fast as they can.

JEANNIE - They are slaves.

TONY - Okay, no spinning class.

They walk by a kickboxing class for women. All female students and a female INSTRUCTOR demonstrating moves against the lone heavy bag in the front of the class.

JEANNIE - What are these people doing?

TONY - It's a women's self defense class, I think it's kick boxing.

JEANNIE - They did not have this five hundred years ago.

Tony notices how eager Jeannie looks.

TONY - I think we found the right class for you.

KICKBOXING CLASS

INSTRUCTOR - Now we're going to learn roundhouse kicks. New girl, are you ready for a demonstration?

The class encourages her and Jeannie goes to the front.

INSTRUCTOR - This kick is all about torque. You want to open up your hips and really turn yourself around using that to power the kick. Now watch me.

The instructor demonstrates the kick while talking.

INSTRUCTOR - Step forward with the lead leg, and then use your hips to generate torque and bam, hit the target.

She thumps the heavy bag with a good kick.

INSTRUCTOR - Can you handle that?

JEANNIE - Yes, I am ready.

Jeannie studies the heavy bag and then executes a perfect roundhouse kick that knocks the heavy bag so hard it swings up to the ceiling and knocks down some of the acoustic tiling. The bag then swings back down and swings over to the instructor who catches it. The instructor and the class silently stare at Jeannie.

JEANNIE - I am a fast learner.

CLASS OVER

The students stream out of the entrance at the end of class and Tony meets Jeannie and she puts her arms around him.

The instructor walks by and looks over Tony up and down.

INSTRUCTOR - Is this the guy you were talking about?

JEANNIE - Yes.

INSTRUCTOR - No way he can handle you.

The instructor keeps walking.

TONY - What was that about?

JEANNIE - I love self defense class.

EXT. SANTA ANITA RACE TRACK - DAY

Roger is second in line at the betting window. He checks his racing form, and feels his pockets to make sure everything is all there. The person in front of him finishes and Roger steps up to the cashier, who looks eternally bored and leans her head against one hand.

ROGER - Oh boy, this is going to be a big day for you.

Roger waits for a response but gets nothing.

ROGER - I'm going to place seven bets, all on long shots. How many people do that?

No response.

ROGER - I'm going to be famous as the guy who hit on seven long shots in one day. All seven.

He pulls out a very large amount of cash and pushes it towards the cashier.

ROGER - I bet you never saw that much money before.

Again, no reaction.

ROGER - Just think how much you're going to be paying out when I win. All seven. Here are the bets, can you read that.

Roger pushes forward his racing form with the picks circled.

Roger steps away from the cashier with his new betting stubs.

ROGER - All seven races. My old life is over. Hello new Roger Healey.

LAST RACE

The last race runs by. Roger looks suitably glum.

ROGER - All seven.

INT. ADMIRAL PETERSON'S OFFICE - DAY

Peterson sits across from Gary who holds a folder and some photos.

GARY - There's nothing there. It's like she didn't exist until a few weeks ago. Nothing in any database anywhere in the world.

PETERSON - But she's let into the country as the spouse of a war hero. Try telling the President no on that one. What happened during those weeks when Nelson was missing?

GARY - As far as we can tell he was living off the land in the desert. He's a SEAL, don't you teach them stuff like that?

PETERSON - The Navy has never been big on desert survival skills. But I have an idea for finding out just how much he knows about living in the desert. Let's send him to Skull Flats and see how he does there. Get the paperwork on that started.

GARY - Yes, sir.

PETERSON - Did you find anything about this woman from local surveillance?

Gary passes over several enlarged photographs.

GARY - I think you are going to be very interested in these photographs. Look at the first one, this is Major Nelson's backyard at seven thirty in the morning.

PETERSON - And?

GARY - The next picture is just five minutes later, and now there is an orange tree there.

PETERSON'S POV - PHOTOS

One of the photos shows the backyard normally and the second has a thriving orange tree full of ripe oranges.

GARY - Then every morning she picks several oranges, you can see that in the next photo, and the last photo, you can see her in her kitchen making fresh squeezed orange juice. And then the tree disappears Admiral Peterson, I swear it does.

PETERSON'S POV - PHOTOS

Peterson looks through the photos. We see a few creepy ones of her in a nightie taken through a window.

PETERSON - You know what this means don't you?

GARY - Russians.

PETERSON - It means she knows she's being watched. This is just to mess with us. No reason to surveil someone who knows you're watching.

GARY - How does she do it?

PETERSON - Hi tech. They invent something new every year. Schedule a meeting with Nelson, I need to talk to him. And one more thing, reprimand whoever took those creepy photos of his wife.

GARY - But I took them.

PETERSON - Write a reprimand for yourself and put it in your permanent file.

INT. ADMIRAL PETERSON'S OFFICE - DAY

Tony and Peterson are in mid conversation.

PETERSON - And this nomadic tribe has no name.

TONY - No, the nameless ones is their name.

PETERSON - That's the worst name I ever heard of.

TONY - Not my idea sir. If you call that CIA agent he can tell you about them.

PETERSON - The agent whose name you don't know and who never told you he's in the CIA.

TONY - That one.

PETERSON - But he's bad at poker. That narrows it down to most of them.

TONY - I wouldn't know sir.

PETERSON - I would. I'll make a few calls and find out about this magic tribe of yours.

Tony grimaces when he hears the word magic.

PETERSON - And what's this about living off the land in the desert for weeks?

TONY - Wilderness survival skills. Picked up over years of overseas duty.

PETERSON - The Army has a desert survival school in Skull Flats, Utah. I'm sure they would love to meet the Navy man who lived in the desert. But getting back to the main issue, your story still doesn't explain how she speaks fluent English.

TONY - Fast learner. You should see her in kickboxing class.

PETERSON - So she's an expert in the martial arts? You don't find that suspicious?

TONY - No, sir.

PETERSON - Tony, let me be blunt, you're not that great with the ladies.

TONY - Doing fine now to be honest.

PETERSON - You screwed things up with Melissa Stone, an Admiral's daughter.

TONY - Just didn't work out. By the way, how do you know about that?

PETERSON - In your file. Tony, I'm worried about you, lonely bachelors are prime targets for foreign agents.

TONY - So you think she's an agent?

PETERSON - It's what best fits the information I have. I've decided to bring in a specialist. A military psychiatrist with experience in counter-intelligence.

TONY - Psychiatrist?

PETERSON - Someone who I specially picked for this job.

INT. BELLOWS OFFICE - RECEPTIONIST DESK - DAY

As Tony talks to a receptionist DR. BELLOWS, a professionally dressed middle aged woman, approaches the desk from the other side.

TONY - I'm not sure why I'm here, but I have a four o'clock appointment.

BELLOWS - Of course you do Major Nelson. I am Dr. Allison Bellows. This way.

When they reach the door Bellows switches on a small white noise generator attached to the wall outside her office.

TONY - What's that for?

BELLOWS - Privacy. It's a white noise generator so others can't hear what patients say.

Tony reaches out and turns it off.

TONY - I don't need privacy.

BELLOWS - This way please.

Bellows holds her hand out pointing the way into the office. Tony goes in first and she turns the white noise generator back on and walks in after him.

INT. BELLOWS OFFICE - DAY

BELLOWS - I've checked your report. You don't seem to have suffered any physical after effects. What about emotional after effects?

TONY - Never felt better. Emotionally or the other ways.

BELLOWS - The other ways, I'm going to assume your marriage is going well. I have to say, this story about you and Jeannie Nelson is very unusual.

TONY - What story?

BELLOWS - It's in your file.

TONY - How much?

BELLOWS - Seemed very thorough. Though she hasn't had a medical exam yet, apparently she's never had one in her life. So I'm ordering one.

TONY - You can do that?

BELLOWS - You wouldn't believe how much I can do. We are more thorough about mental health than the civilian world. Do you know what are the three most feared words in the military?

TONY - Out of bullets.

BELLOWS -Fitness for duty.

TONY - Never heard that one before.

BELLOWS - Let me blunt, there is something strange about this Jeannie. Tell me, is she beautiful, kind and helpful?

TONY - Yes to all those. And helpful, you wouldn't believe it if I told you.

BELLOWS - Do you know who you just described?

TONY - My wife.

BELLOWS - Your mother. Or to be more exact, an idealized mother figure.

TONY - She's nothing like my mother.

BELLOWS - Because she's not an alcoholic who leaves care of the ranch to you after your father passed away?

TONY - What?

BELLOWS - It's all in your file. Father passes away at a young age, younger siblings are layabouts and your mother is helpless. You become the parentified child and take on the responsibilities normally borne by an adult.

TONY -My brothers weren't the hardest working people ...

BELLOWS - All in the file.

TONY - And my mother, she took Dad's passing hard, but who wouldn't.

BELLOWS - You're protecting the family. The classic parentified child. In some ways more mature and developed than others around you, in other ways emotionally stunted and immature, what some might mistake for boyish charm.

TONY - Mom did the best she could.

BELLOWS - I know she did. But look at your file. You are unable to form close attachments. You have no interest in career progress. After years in the military you have no close connections to any of your peers.

TONY - That's not true, there's Roger.

BELLOWS - Major Healey? I've read his file so I'm not impressed.

TONY - Roger is my friend.

BELLOWS - I know he is, but it's my job to probe the psyche of my patients. I'm sorry if anything I said disturbed you. Just doing my job.

TONY - Could you find a more pleasant way of doing it?

BELLOWS - Glad you asked. This weekend there is going to be a baseball game and barbecue for Navy SEALs and their families. I would like to see you and Jeannie in a more pleasant setting.

TONY -I never go to those things.

BELLOWS - I know. It's in your file.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY

DR. CORBETT stands in front of lighted x-ray screens before Tony and Jeannie.

DOCTOR - I'm glad you could make it here so quickly.

TONY - Is Jeannie in danger?

DOCTOR - I don't know. I've never seen test results like this. I don't know how to put this, but she's too healthy.

TONY - That's not possible.

DOCTOR - Before I examined your wife I thought so too.

JEANNIE - I feel fine. Please. I never get sick.

DOCTOR - You have no appendix.

TONY - She had it removed.

DOCTOR - No, she didn't. There is no surgical scar or evidence of surgery. It's not just that. She tested out as the healthiest person ever examined by science.

JEANNIE - That's good, can I go now?

DOCTOR - There are certain abnormalities I want to discuss. Your estrogen levels are two thousand times higher than normal.

JEANNIE - Is that bad?

DOCTOR - I don't know how you stay alive. Also, there is this.

Dr. Corbett uses a pointer to direct attention to a torso x-ray and points towards the ovaries.

DOCTOR - Your ovaries are the size of pears. I also think they glow.

He uses the pointer to circle the ovaries on the x-ray. Dr. Corbett stares intently at the x-ray as if fascinated while Tony looks at Jeannie and she holds up her hands to mean I dunno.

TONY - Jeannie, make him forget this.

Jeannie blinks and Dr. Corbett's face goes blank.

TONY - The x-rays and results too.

Jeannie blinks and the x-rays disappear.

TONY - Well Dr. Corbett, thank you for saying Jeannie is perfectly normal and passed her physical.

DOCTOR - I said that?

TONY - Quite emphatically.

DOCTOR - That's not like me.

TONY - I know, that's how normal her results were.

DOCTOR - I need to sit down.

INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY - DAY

Tony and Jeannie walk towards the elevator.

TONY - That doesn't hurt people, right?

JEANNIE - Not the first time. He'll be fine. I don't see why people think an appendix is so important.

INT. HOSPITAL ELEVATOR - DAY

Jeannie and Tony are in the back of the elevator and the third ELEVATOR RIDER is a short, fat, bald man in front.

TONY - Your estrogen levels are really two thousand times higher than normal?

JEANNIE - Yes.

TONY - Huh. What's my testosterone level?

JEANNIE - Average.

TONY - Can you make it two thousand times higher?

JEANNIE - Anything more than seventy times would kill you.

TONY - Really? Seventy times is the limit?

JEANNIE - It's your limit.

TONY - I bet that's higher than average.

Jeannie looks away and does not want to answer this.

TONY - What's this guy's limit?

JEANNIE - One hundred and twenty.

TONY - Really? His limit is one hundred and twenty and mine is seventy?

ELEVATOR RIDER

You heard the lady, one hundred and twenty times. Read it and weep big boy. BOO-YA.

TONY - Better memory wipe him.

Jeannie blinks and now the rider's face goes blank.

INT. HOSPITAL LOBBY - DAY

Tony and Jeannie walk out of the elevator.

TONY - Wait, is seventy times low?

The elevator rider wanders out holding his hands out in front and looks lost.

EXT. BASEBALL FIELD - DAY

SEALs and their families play baseball, Tony is at bat. The PITCHER fires a fast ball just short of Tony's head which makes him jump back.

PITCHER - Just a little chin music to make you dance Nelson.

BLEACHERS

Roger sits in the bleachers next to Peterson.

PETERSON - What's wrong, don't you like baseball?

ROGER - Things on my mind.

PETERSON - If you're ever going through some sort of personal difficulty, some sort of life issue, never hesitate to think that I don't care and don't want to hear anything about it.

ROGER - Understood.

Tony hits a long ball and makes it to second base.

PETERSON - Major Nelson is off to a good start.

ROGER - Tony has it made. You have no idea. Wish I could be in his shoes.

PETERSON - You flunked out of SEAL training.

ROGER - Not that. Being married to Jeannie. Never having another worry so long as you live.

PETERSON - I wish marriage was really like that.

FIELD

Jeannie comes up to bat. She looks awkward, has obviously never played before. Tony watches from second base.

TONY - C'mon hun, hit a home run.

BLEACHERS

ROGER - Did you hear that, he told her to hit a home run.

PETERSON - She doesn't even know how to hold the bat.

ROGER - I'll bet you a week's salary she hits a home run right now.

PETERSON - Make it a week of my salary.

ROGER - Even better.

FIELD

Jeannie hits a pop fly.

BLEACHERS

Roger counts over the cash he owes to Peterson.

ROGER - No wonder we have a deficit.

PETERSON - Where's the rest?

ROGER - That's all the cash I have on me. I'll get you the rest next time I see you.

BARBECUE

Dr. Bellows sits alone with Peterson. The game is over and the two sit apart and watch the others socialize at the barbecue.

BELLOWS - Not a spy. Not even close. I guarantee it.

PETERSON - You can't guarantee that.

BELLOWS - No spy would act the way she does. She stands out instead of fitting in.

PETERSON - Just like Tony.

BELLOWS - Admiral, I get the impression that you don't like Major Nelson.

PETERSON - I can't help but like the kid but I've been trying to get him out of the SEALs for years.

BELLOWS - That's in his file. Every time you're about to get him out he wins another medal. He's a hero.

PETERSON - That's the problem. I don't want heroes. A hero fixes mistakes and I don't want any in the first place.

BELLOWS - He's your best operator.

PETERSON - My job is to assemble the best team, not collect the best individuals. I want team players who do things right the first time. Not heroes.

BELLOWS - He's not a team player. He's emotionally stunted. He tries to hide it by isolating himself. But military psychiatrists don't declare soldiers unfit for duty just because their superiors want them out.

PETERSON - They do it all the time. But not this time I guess. Seems like you fell for that boyish charm they say he has.

BELLOWS - If I'm being honest then yes, I did.

PETERSON - I was worried about that happening. That's why I specially picked you for this. I honestly thought you were a lesbian.

BELLOWS - I am.

PETERSON - The file never lies.

TONY AND THE GUYS

Tony socializes with the other SEALS over beers in a way he usually doesn't.

SEAL - Tony, how come you never tell us any of your secret moves? That time in Badakshan, how did you pull that off?

TONY - Had to take out five guards without putting the prisoners at risk. So had to do it before they could fire a shot. Roger set off an explosion as a diversion. Now you all know that with practice you can get two aimed shots off before they can draw a weapon.

They nod and agree in an unconvincing manner.

TONY - That leaves three guards. This is the tricky part.

The crowd leans in intently and we go back to the POV of Bellows and Peterson. We watch Tony finish the story but can't hear what he says. Tony pantomimes his military moves and the crowd absorbs it all.

BELLOWS AND PETERSON

BELLOWS - Look at him getting along with his peers. I've interviewed them and they say marriage has changed Tony.

PETERSON - Just a barbecue. Doesn't prove he's a team player now.

BELLOWS - He will figure it out.

INT. TONY'S CAR - NIGHT

Tony and Jeannie are in mid conversation on the ride back.

TONY - It's just that I really thought you were going to hit a home run. I thought you would blink and hit a moon shot.

JEANNIE - I understand. I did not do enough magic to make you happy.

TONY - I see what's going on here. I know what you're really worried about.

JEANNIE - Who told you?

TONY - You're worried that I only like you for your magic. That's understandable. I tell you what, no more magic.

JEANNIE - Do you mean it?

TONY - Of course I mean it. When we were living in the desert I thought that was as happy as a man could get. And it was all because of you. Now I'm even happier.

JEANNIE - That is what I want.

TONY - No more magic. Magic free. Then you'll stop worrying about this.

JEANNIE - Master, I love you so much. And now I can stay with you forever. No more magic.

EXT. GAS STATION - NIGHT

Roger drives home alone. He pulls into a gas station.

Roger hands over his credit card to the teenage cashier. The cashier runs the card and looks at the results.

CASHIER - I'm sorry sir, but your card has been declined.

ROGER - Here, try this one.

Roger hands over a different card.

CASHIER -I'm sorry sir, but this was declined too.

ROGER - Let's try the first one again.

INT. TONY'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY

Tony is on the phone in his bedroom while Jeannie packs his suitcase in the background. Towards the end she sits on the suitcase to get it to close and hops up down on it.

TONY - That's right, a week in Skull Flats, Utah. They think I'm a desert survival expert. Jeannie's going to spend the week in her bottle, she has a garden in there she needs to take care of. So Rog, you have a spare key, can you check on the house for me while I'm gone? ... That's great.

INT. ROGER'S HOUSE - DAY

Roger sits at a table by the phone with a pile of bills in front of him.

ROGER - In the bottle. For a week.

EXT. TONY'S HOUSE - DAY

Roger walks up to Tony's front door. The songbirds know what he is doing and pester him on the way in. He quickly enters and shuts the door before the birds can get in.

INT. GENIE BOTTLE - DAY

Inside her bottle Jeannie can tell something is wrong. The birds in her garden flutter and fly about.

INT./EXT. TONY'S HOUSE/BOTTLE - DAY

Roger looks around the house and finds the bottle. He picks it up and looks admiringly at it.

ROGER - It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Roger clutches the bottle to his chest.

BOTTLE

Jeannie and the birds knows something is wrong.

FRONT YARD

Roger leaves through the front door. As we walks out a bird poops on him.

INT. CAVE OF THE BLUE DJINN - DAY

In the Djinn's cave the crows hop up and down and celebrate. They know something good is coming.

INT./EXT. ROGER'S HOUSE - DAY

Roger holds the bottle tightly as he paces back and forth in his living room. Outside his window songbirds gather and peck at his windows. Roger glances at the window.

ROGER - Birds?

OUTSIDE HOUSE

From outside the house we see a small flock of songbirds gathering around Roger's house. More fly in one by one.

INSIDE

ROGER - Just one week. Just one week and then I give her back. Tony's a nice guy. He'll understand.

Finally Roger stops pacing and holds the bottle in front of him with both hands and stares at it.

ROGER - Here we go.

Roger takes the top off the bottle and immediately Jeannie comes out in genie smoke and appears before him. She looks cross and has her hands on her hips.

JEANNIE - The birds told me you would do this.

ROGER - The birds?

JEANNIE - Where is Tony?

ROGER - Away for the week.

JEANNIE - When Tony Nelson gets here you will be sorry.

ROGER - I probably will. But I'll be even sorrier if I don't pay my bills.

LATER

Roger looks worn and stressed. He has been trying to convince her for some time.

ROGER - So you see it's really partly your fault. I thought you were going to fix those horse races for me so I bet everything I had.

She looks like she does feel a little sorry for him now.

ROGER - All I want is to get back the money I lost on those horse races, that's all. Then I give you right back to Tony.

JEANNIE - It is sad that you have so many problems.

ROGER - It's very sad.

JEANNIE - It's just that to make money I have to use powerful magic.

ROGER - I'll say it's powerful.

JEANNIE - But if I do too much powerful magic he will come for me.

ROGER - Tony is in love with you. He's coming no matter what.

Jeannie's face lights up at this. She can't stay mad now.

JEANNIE - Does he really say that?

ROGER - All the time.

JEANNIE - Okay, I will do powerful magic for you. How much do you need temporary master?

ROGER - All I really want is the money I lost at the race track.

Jeannie crosses her arms in front of her and blinks a large pile of cash onto the kitchen table.

ROGER - Hey that's great. But you know, I also owe Admiral Peterson from that bet.

Jeannie looks cross.

ROGER - Your master commands it.

Jeannie does powerful magic again and more money appears.

ROGER - Oh that's great. I don't need any more money, I don't, this is enough. I mean it.

JEANNIE - Good.

INT. CAVE OF THE BLUE DJINN - DAY

Life comes back to the Blue Djinn's body as Jeannie does powerful magic.

INT. ROGER'S HOUSE - DAY

Roger and Jeannie sit at his kitchen table as Roger finishes a meal fit for a king.

ROGER - Beef Wellington and a fine Cabernet Sauvignon. (he mispronounces this) This is the best meal I've had since breakfast.

JEANNIE - I am glad temporary master.

ROGER - Just one more thing.

JEANNIE - You said that eighty seven things ago.

ROGER - Seems like a weird thing to count.

JEANNIE - Oh, I'm counting everything.

Roger stands up and pats his clothes down.

ROGER - Always wanted to have a sharkskin suit.

Jeannie blinks him a new suit and he examines it.

ROGER - Honestly thought they were made out of sharks. Now I want custom made shoes.

Jeannie blinks.

ROGER - Wow. This is what custom made shoes feel like?

JEANNIE - Yes.

ROGER - Turn all my shoes into custom made shoes.

Jeannie blinks. The birds flutter outside the window and some peck at it.

ROGER - Birds. Can you make them go away?

JEANNIE - No. Magic does not work against magic.

ROGER - Birds are magic?

JEANNIE - How do you think they fly?

ROGER - Good point.

Roger walks around in his suit, admiring the look and feel.

ROGER - One more thing.

EXT. ROGER'S HOUSE - DRIVEWAY - DAY

Jeannie and Roger stand in his driveway. The driveway is somewhat secluded with a hedgerow on one side. The growing flock of songbirds arrive to watch them and they flutter and complain every time Jeannie does powerful magic.

ROGER - This car sucks, make it go away.

JEANNIE - That will be powerful magic.

ROGER - And the smell on the upholstery is powerful too.

Jeanie does powerful magic. The car disappears.

ROGER - Now I want a Mustang GT 350R. I know, I know, powerful magic.

Jeannie does powerful magic and creates the car. Birds of paradise arrive and join the flock. They are larger but fewer in number and are the officers of the avian army.

INT. CAVE OF THE BLUE DJINN - DAY

The crows celebrate. Now a few vultures land among them. The crows are the soldiers and the smaller number of vultures among them walk around like officers. The Djinn continues to come back to life.

ROGER'S DRIVEWAY

ROGER - What about a Hellcat? Do a Dodge Hellcat instead.

Jeannie does powerful magic and the car changes.

ROGER - Hmm, what about a Corvette.

Jeannie makes a Corvette.

ROGER - Too obvious. Try a Dodge Viper.

More and more birds arrive and more birds of paradise. They periodically peck at Roger and sometimes they poop on him.

DJINN'S CAVE

The life force has reached the Djinn's head. He opens his eyes. The birds notice and celebrate. The lion becomes upset at the crows and swipes at them with his paw.

ROGER - You know, I liked the first one the best.

Jeannie brings back the Mustang GT 350R.

JEANNIE - Is this the car you want?

ROGER - Yes, but now we have to do the paint job.

A greater bird of paradise lands. The bird preens and displays. This is the general of the songbird army.

INT. NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE - DAY

From across the street a couple look through the window and see all this. One gestures towards Roger's car.

NEIGHBOR -Hi tech.

The other nods.

INSIDE ROGER'S NEW CAR

Roger and Jeannie sit inside the car. It is now extravagantly decorated inside and out.

ROGER - How about a gold plated ashtray? Wouldn't that be nice?

JEANNIE - My arms hurt.

ROGER - Okay, tomorrow then.

DJINN'S CAVE

A Condor lands at the edge of the flock of crows and vultures and then walks towards the Djinn. The smaller birds make way for him. This is the general of crow army.

INT./EXT. ROGER'S HOUSE - DAY

Roger sits in his easy chair. Here and there around the house are recently acquired luxury items. Roger sips wine from fine crystal and wears a smoking jacket.

ROGER - It's that time Jeannie.

She gets up from her seat and blinks belly dancing music on and starts to dance.

ROGER'S POV - JEANNIE

From Roger's POV we see him looking at her face. And then he starts to look lower. And lower. Until he is looking at her exposed belly while she dances.

Then the music stops and we shift to a normal perspective.

JEANNIE - Eyes up top mister.

ROGER - Then why call it belly dancing? I'm just saying, why call it that?

OUTSIDE ROGER'S HOUSE

There is a large gathering of colorful birds in front of Roger's house. Passersby notice and take out their smartphones to snap pictures.

INSIDE HOUSE

Roger finishes another extravagant meal.

ROGER - You know, I think it's time we made an airplane.

JEANNIE - An airplane?

ROGER - I know, I know, powerful magic.

Roger glances out the window and sees the birds pecking on it and flying about.

ROGER - I'm scared of those birds. Let's just blink to the airport.

EXT. AIRPORT - ROGER'S HANGAR - DAY

Roger and Jeannie stand in an empty part of the airport.

ROGER - Private hangar please.

Jeannie uses powerful magic to make one.

ROGER - Let's start with single engine turboprops and see where it goes.

JEANNIE - Every time I come out of the bottle it's the same.

She makes a single engine turboprop.

LATER

A different plane, this one with twin jet engines, sits in front of the hangar.

ROGER - Twin jet engine it is. Now the paint job.

INT. CAVE OF THE BLUE DJINN - DAY

The Blue Djinn opens his eyes wide and looks around. He cannot stand but acknowledges his avian allies. Then he looks at the lion.

DJINN - You are still here.

The lion roars.

DJINN - And you will stay here as long as I am in this world.

The lion gets up and slowly and determinedly walks towards the Djinn. When he gets too close the blue jewel on his collar glows and then the lion is halted and his face goes blank and his eyes turn blue. At the same time the blue jewel on the Djinn's necklace glows as well and the Djinn's eyes briefly flash blue.

DJINN - You are here forever. And someday my beloved will be with us. Men can never resist. Soon I will be strong enough.

ROGER'S HANGAR

The plane is now decorated in gaudy colors. Roger and Jeannie sit in the cockpit.

ROGER - Now that we have the colors right let's do the interior.

JEANNIE - My arms.

DJINN'S CAVE

The Djinn sits up for the first time. He looks down and watches life come back into his legs. When they have returned enough he stands up on them, at first weak and unsteady. But then he grows with power. He looks at himself admiringly and makes a fist to feel his own strength.

DJINN - It is always this way. Now to find my beloved. Go my friends, go and find her.

The flock of crows and vultures take off and fly out of the cave to search for Jeannie.

EXT. SKULL FLATS UTAH - DAY

Tony leans on a soldier as he struggles to make it across the desert terrain to an officer's canopy. The soldier is fine but Tony can barely make it.

Underneath the canopy Tony leans on the table with both hands for support.

ARMY OFFICER - I don't think we'll be needing any more guest instructors from the Navy.

TONY - Oh thank god.

ARMY BASE

Tony calls Jeannie from a phone. He hangs up when no one answers and dials again. He hangs up and calls Roger.

TONY - Roger, this is Tony.

Tony looks at the phone strangely after he hangs up on him.

Tony rushes past a desk on his way out while carrying a duffel bag.

TONY - I'll mail you my report.

INT. CAVE OF THE BLUE DJINN - DAY

The birds fly back to the Blue Djinn and talk to him in their language.

DJINN - You have found her, my beloved will be mine again.

He looks at the lion and the blue jewels glow. The Djinn holds out his hand and magic wings form on the lion, they are a smoky and transparent blue. The lion's face goes blank and his eyes turn blue and he walks over to the Djinn and kneels so he can be ridden. The Djinn leaps on him and holds the collar holding the blue jewel like reins.

DJINN - For five hundred years I slept but now it is my time.

INT./EXT. TONY'S HOUSE - DAY

Tony runs through the house shouting for Jeannie. He rushed in so fast he left the door open. Each room is empty. Then he goes to where the bottle is kept.

TONY - The bottle ...

Songbirds fly in and fly about Tony. They tug at his sleeves. He eventually understands and goes where they lead him.

OUTSIDE TONY'S HOUSE

Tony is on his front lawn and the birds tug at his clothes.

TONY - You know where Jeannie is? Let's move.

Tony starts running in the direction the birds were pulling him. They stop pulling and instead fly in front of him in a tight group. Tony runs faster as he follows them.

The birds are leading him on a mostly straight line to Roger's house. Tony runs diagonally across roads ignoring traffic and across lawns and property lines and people look at him and shout. He leaps over the small obstacles in his way and acrobatically vaults the larger obstacles.

INT./EXT. ROGER'S HOUSE - DAY

The Djinn's avian allies land on Roger's front lawn. They land on one side of the lawn and Jeannie's avian allies are on the other. The Condor and the greater bird of paradise step forward from within their groups to face each other. These two eye each other and display and then attack. Then all the other birds fight. The vultures fight birds of paradise and songbirds fight the crows.

The Djinn arrives on his flying lion. From the air he spots the Bird Battle and directs his mount there. He lands in the middle and walks into the house while the birds continue to fight.

INSIDE ROGER'S HOUSE

The Djinn walks into the house. Roger is talking to Jeannie while holding her bottle.

ROGER - Hey, are you one of those genies too?

The Djinn reaches out and blue magic shoots at Roger and throws him up against the wall. Roger is held up immobile and off the ground by the magic. He lets go of the bottle.

JEANNIE - It is me you want.

DJINN - Is he your master?

She looks and sees that Roger no longer controls her bottle.

JEANNIE - No.

The Djinn drops his hand. The blue magic ends and Roger falls to the ground in a helpless daze.

DJINN - My beloved, I have found you again.

The Djinn grabs her by the hand and tries to kiss her but she struggles. Then he grabs her other hand to control her better and pulls her closer while she turns her head away to avoid him. He finally manages to force a short kiss.

DJINN - In time you will understand.

OUTSIDE ROGER'S HOUSE

The Djinn is on the lion holding her. He tugs the collar and they fly off. The Djinn's avian allies follow behind.

Tony arrives at Roger's house completely spent. He is too late. The lawn is littered with feathers and bird blood and wounded birds.

Some of the neighbors have gathered around this strange scene and point and take smartphone pictures.

LATER INSIDE ROGER'S HOUSE

Roger sits at the kitchen table and holds an ice pack over a fresh facial bruise. Tony paces back and forth.

ROGER - Tone, don't feel bad about slugging me. I had it coming.

Tony stops his pacing and looks intently at Roger.

TONY - You thought I was going to apologize?

ROGER - I thought you might.

TONY - Nope.

ROGER - Well, that's okay too.

TONY - I know how to get Jeannie back. I have to get back to Afghan and talk to Grandmother. She'll know where Jeannie is. Just have to figure out how to get there.

ROGER - I know how to get there. I know how to get there and how to pay for it.

UPSTAIRS ROGER'S HOUSE

Roger is at the dresser in his bedroom and opens the top drawer and inside is a grey lockbox. He opens the lock with a key. Inside is a smaller grey lockbox with a smaller lock. Inside this is a small and beautifully decorated lacquer box which was clearly made by Jeannie.

Roger opens the lacquer box and looks lovingly at the contents, it is filled with small diamonds. He closes the box and clutches it tightly.

ROGER - Next time get a bigger box.

EXT. NAMELESS ONE CAMP - DAY

In the background Roger talks to men from the tribe and discusses the plane and points to different parts of it.

Tony sits under the canopy with Grandmother.

TONY - Just tell me where.

GRANDMOTHER - Don't you want to know who?

TONY - A big blue genie. I'm going to kill him.

GRANDMOTHER - Others have said that and he is still here.

TONY - I'm different.

GRANDMOTHER - I think you are. But Tony Nelson, until now always the Blue Djinn finds her, always he kills her master.

TONY - So you're saying it will be hard. Okay, now what.

GRANDMOTHER - It will be difficult. But you will have something in this fight the others did not.

TONY - Guns.

GRANDMOTHER - No, help.

TONY - Guns help.

GRANDMOTHER - Friends help the most. Let me give you two things, a map to the Djinn's mountain and a way to defeat him.

Grandmother pulls out an archaic looking map on parchment and hands it to Tony.

As she speaks she hands over the map and he grabs it and runs back to the plane before he can hear what she says.

GRANDMOTHER - I think there is a way to defeat the Djinn, you have to ...

She watches him run back and grab Roger and pull him towards the plane.

GRANDMOTHER - He will figure it out.

EXT. DJINN'S MOUNTAIN - DAY

In the early evening a twin engine plane approaches the Djinn's mountain.

The plane has landed and Tony and Roger are at the rear wheel well. Roger is bent over and fiddles with some things underneath until he comes out with a small box he had hidden away. He puts it on the tail and presents it to Tony. Roger looks weary but Tony is infused with the energy of his determination to get Jeannie.

ROGER - Here you go.

Roger opens the top and inside are two pistols and ammunition. Tony immediately begins equipping himself with the guns while talking to Roger and doesn't look up at him while speaking. First he loads a clip into a pistol and racks the slide and puts it in the shoulder holster. Then he loads a clip and racks the slide on another pistol and puts it into the belt holster.

ROGER - Sorry I couldn't fit a rifle in there.

TONY - Don't need a rifle.

ROGER - Tough to get things past customs.

TONY - This will do.

Roger scans the landscape while thinking of what to say.

ROGER - We don't belong here Tone, it's not our place. It's just that I never saw anyone make you happy before.

TONY - We'll be fine.

ROGER - We're out of fuel and they got a radar lock on us south of Kashmar. They'll be here soon.

TONY - We've been in worse.

ROGER - No, we haven't.

Tony is done preparing and finally looks up at Roger.

TONY - But this time we have Jeannie.

Tony quickly turns around and walks towards the mountain. When he is far enough away Roger thinks out loud.

ROGER - You have Jeannie.

EXT. DJINN'S MOUNTAIN - DAY

Jeannie's avian allies join Tony as he walks up the mountain frequently glancing at the cave entrance.

He is closer now and the birds tug at his clothes.

TONY - Going as fast as I can.

Tony reaches the entrance which leads to a curving tunnel hiding what's ahead. He pauses at the line between sunlight and shade and the birds wait behind him seemingly afraid to go first and then he enters the cave.

INT. GENIE BOTTLE - DAY

Jeannie sits in her bottle with her arms crossed. Birds of paradise stay tightly around her for protection. The birds look left and right scanning for danger.

INT. CAVE OF THE BLUE DJINN - DAY

The Djinn sits next to the bottle.

DJINN - I know your mad, but come on.

The Djinn looks at his fingers, the tips show the lifelessness that happens when Jeannie stays in the bottle.

DJINN - If you could just write down what I did wrong, I think that would help a lot. Relationships take work, they don't just happen by magic.

The crows sense Tony coming. The Djinn notices and breathes in deeply through a curled nose. He looks to the crows.

DJINN - Your dinner has arrived.

TONY ARRIVES

Tony strides through the curving tunnel.

He emerges from the dark into the magically lit main room.

TONY - Jeannie. Where is she. Start talking.

The Djinn magically rises up to a standing position and steps towards him.

DJINN - I have lived for thousands of years and killed hundreds of men and soon I will carve my name into your very bones. I do not answer to thee.

With lightning speed Tony draws a pistol from his shoulder holster and aims it at the Djinn.

TONY - Then talk to the gun you big smurf.

Tony empties the gun into the Djinn's chest and bullet wounds appear and then disappear as he is magically healed. The Djinn stretches out his hand and the gun is pulled through the air and hovers a few inches from the Djinn's hand. Tony makes a lightning draw from his belt holster and empties that gun into the Djinn's chest with the same result and the empty gun is taken away. The Djinn has the empty guns hovering in front of his hand.

DJINN - Boys love their toys.

The Djinn moves his hands around the hovering guns as he melts them and then fashions an exotic looking sword.

DJINN - This is a man's weapon. I will kill you with it.

Just then genie smoke comes out of the bottle and the Djinn's attention turns to it. The smoke solidifies into Jeannie and her avian allies.

Life returns to the Djinn's fingertips now that she is out of the bottle.

Jeannie dances towards the Djinn. He is captivated and leans against the sword as if it were a cane. When close enough she does a spinning kick to knock the sword out of his hand and too far away to be retrieved. With a flash of speed she does a kick to knock him to the ground.

While still on the ground the Djinn looks at Jeannie.

DJINN - The unexpected does not change the inevitable.

The Djinn's eyes flash blue and his blue jewel glows as he commands the lion to attack Tony. Then he leaps to his feet to fight Jeannie.

FIGHT SCENE

The details should be choreographed by a specialist.

The fight has three parts, in each part the avian allies of both sides fight all around them creating a dome of fighting birds and falling feathers around the four combatants.

1. Tony can barely survive against the lion. He jumps and dives to survive. She does well because she surprises the Djinn with kickboxing moves. But he has the same magical ability to learn quickly. He learns her moves and uses them against her. But Tony is worse off and Jeannie keeps glancing at him out of concern.

2. Jeannie grabs one of the canopy poles.

JEANNIE - Tony!

She throws it to him. With the pole as a weapon he can now fight off the lion. He established his acrobatic skills running to Roger's house and now vaults and leaps with the pole. Jeannie grabs another canopy pole, with it she fights the Djinn to a standstill.

3. The controlling effect on the lion keeps wearing off. Each time the Djinn refreshes the effect and the blue jewel glows. Tony notices this. He pole vaults on to the back of the lion and grabs it's collar like a rodeo cowboy.

The Djinn does an expert roundhouse kick to knock Jeannie's pole out of her hand and across the room.

DJINN - I am a fast learner.

Tony pulls out the knife and lifts it high and looks at the spot between the lion's shoulder blades. With the knife held high he pauses.

Then he quickly slashes the knife downward, but to get it under the collar and cut it off. The lion is free and he lets out a roar that stops everything. The birds stop fighting. Clothes vibrate from the volume of the roar. The Djinn takes a few steps towards the animal. For the first time his face shows doubt.

The lion moves towards the Djinn as Tony slips off. To protect himself the Djinn holds out one hand and blue magic flies out and slows the lion's progress. Then he uses the other hand and all his energy and concentration, but the lion still inches towards the Djinn.

Tony makes eye contact with Jeannie and they nod. Tony circles to the side of the Djinn like a boxer in the ring. Jeannie circles to the other side moving like a martial artist. They rush in. They hit at once and the Djinn cannot protect himself. Tony makes a shoulder first tackle low on the body, Jeannie makes a flying kick to his head. He falls to the ground dazed. The lion is instantly upon him and pins his chest to the ground with a paw and extends his claws into the skin and draws blue blood.

Jeannie now has the sword made from gun metal and holds it against the Djinn's throat so tightly it draws blue blood.

JEANNIE - Make your oath that you will return to the dream world and never come back.

DJINN - If I leave this world my magic goes with me. You will become a woman again.

Jeannie pushes the sword deeper into his neck.

JEANNIE - Go.

DJINN - I will go. But you will stay here forever.

The Djinn looks at the cave ceiling. Then he turns to smoke and disappears. The lion's paw falls onto the ground.

The opaline ceiling of the cave starts to fall down. It is falling too fast to run out.

TONY - Jeannie do something.

JEANNIE - I can't. My powers are gone.

The lion kneels down and gestures to them. Jeannie understands this and leaps on.

JEANNIE - Get on.

Tony gets on the lion behind Jeannie and wraps his arms around her protectively. She smiles at this. They both clutch the lion's mane for balance.

TONY - Is this thing fast enough?

The lion hears this and moves forward so fast they jerk back. He runs out of the room dodging the falling opaline rocks which shatter into an iridescent dust. The birds fly behind them, the lion is faster.

They round the last curve in the tunnel and see the entrance is quickly filling up with falling debris.

TONY - I don't think we're gonna make it.

The lion suddenly jerks forward again and starts moving even faster. Fastest lion ever.

EXT. DJINN'S MOUNTAIN - CAVE ENTRANCE - DAY

The lion leaps out through the small hole that's left and the birds follow along behind and then fly out into the sky in many directions, their work is finished.

PLANE

The nameless ones have shown up with fuel for the plane, their horses are in the background. Roger stands with Atiff as several tribesmen pour a drum of fuel into the wing tank. Atiff sees them first and points at the lion.

The lion has made it to the plane and Tony and Jeannie leap off. He holds up one paw and Jeannie puts her hands above and below it.

JEANNIE - Thank you my friend, you may return home now.

The lion turns to genie smoke and disappears.

Jeannie turns to Atiff.

JEANNIE - Hello cousin.

Atiff walks towards her and as he does transforms into Yazdan, his real self. They hold hands and kiss on the cheek.

YAZDAN - Hello Scheherazade.

JEANNIE - You found a way to free me.

YAZDAN - We would never forget you.

Yazdan turns away from Jeannie and walks towards Roger.

YAZDAN - Or you Roger Healey. We have a gift for you.

ROGER - Does it come in a box?

YAZDAN - No.

Yazdan takes out a bracelet like the one given to Tony, but with a different dominant color as it will draw Roger to a different genie. He places it around Roger's wrist and it magically takes the right size and clasps together.

YAZDAN - Go now, the army will be here soon. We will be safe.

The tribesmen are finished pouring the fuel and they and Yazdan leap onto the horses and ride away.

INT. COCKPIT - DAY

Jeannie sits on Tony's lap and the engines are running.

ROGER - We have to take off into the wind to get enough lift.

Roger pushes the engines to full, they must now shout to be heard. They head out directly away from the cliff face. As they start to make speed Istanistan Army jeeps come at them with mounted guns blazing. Roger squints at the horizon and keeps moving right at the oncoming jeeps.

Then he decides it won't work. He does a skidding donut with the plane and turns it 180 degrees around and points it straight at the nearby cliff face.

TONY - YOU SAID WE NEED TO TAKE OFF INTO THE WIND.

ROGER - I DID SAY THAT.

They approach the cliff face too slow to fly. The plane rolls off the cliff and dives down, but gains enough speed from the dive to fly and Roger pulls it up and they fly low against the late evening sky. Roger throttles back the engines and it is quiet enough to talk normally.

Behind them the army jeeps stop at the cliff edge and the mounted guns are seen in outline against the sky.

One last problem, dusk is upon them and they have to fly low through the coming darkness.

TONY - Wish we had night vision goggles.

Jeannie turns and opens the plane's glove compartment and pulls out night vision goggles and hands them to Roger.

ROGER - Bought these in Jakarta.

Roger puts on the night vision goggles which have comically long lenses that look like eye stalks. This gives the other two a sense of privacy and they snuggle tighter.

TONY - Never losing you.

JEANNIE - Yes, master.

They kiss.

The camera pulls out and we see the plane from above as it flies low. From the top the garish paint job is seen as making the plane look like a bird of paradise and suddenly it seems beautiful. The plane flies into the sunset.

FADE OUT.

THE END


End file.
